Public Interest Law Reporter Volume 7 Article 8 Issue 1 Spring 2002

2002 EEOC Fights to Curb Backlash Discrimination Following Terrorist Attacks Kristen Grisius

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Recommended Citation Kristen Grisius, EEOC Fights to Curb Backlash Discrimination Following Terrorist Attacks, 7 Pub. Interest L. Rptr. 24 (2002). Available at: http://lawecommons.luc.edu/pilr/vol7/iss1/8

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Employees EEOC FIGHTS TO CURB BACKLASH DISCRIMINATION FOLLOWING TERRORIST ATTACKS By Kristen Grisius he vibrations from the ing and foster voluntary compliance, discrimination. September 11 terrorist the EEOC has made various efforts Arshad Majid of the National attacks have made their to promote tolerance in the work- Association of Muslim Lawyers, way into the American workplace. place by clarifying the laws that the advocated for an EEOC national As of December 6,2001, the Equal EEOC enforces, such as prohibit- toll-free hotline for victims of dis- Employment Opportunity Commis- ing harassment or any employment crimination and sensitivity training sion (EEOC) reported that it had action based on affiliation, physical for corporations with diverse em- received 166 formal complaints of or cultural traits or clothing, and ployees. "Corporations should be workplace discrimination specifi- perception or association. This has made aware that in the global cally related to the attacks, against included providing infornation, pub- economy, treatment of any one par- members of the Arab, Muslim, lic education, guidance and outreach ticular group in a negative manner Sikh, Middle Eastern, and South to employers, employees, civil will be reflected in the company's Asian communities. These com- rights advocacy groups, religious bottom line," Majid said. "[Such plaints have included allegations of and national origin communities, treatment] serves not only to dimin- discriminatory terminations, hostile and the general public. ish the reputation and sales of that work environments, ethnic slurs and company, but also negatively affects general harassment. The EEOC has FOR MORE INFORMATION ON the image of our nation." taken a proactive effort to encour- WORKPLACE DISCRIMINATION, However, some employers of age victims to come forward with Visrr: diverse corporations testified that complaints so as to curb backlash they were cautious as to what ac- discrimination. www.eeoc.gov tions to take regarding backlash Three days following the at- discrimination. Thomas Korber, www.dol.gov tacks, EEOC Chair Cari M. Senior Director of Human Re- sources forAstra Zeneca Pharma- Dominguez released a statement www.usdoj.gov/crt/nordwg.html that Americans "must not allow our ceuticals, stated, "[W]e decided to anger about... [these] heinous not specifically target 'training and Currently, the EEOC's website events.. .to be misdirected against awareness' relating to Muslim or includes information from the innocent individuals because of their Arab or South Asian cultures. We EEOC's Office of Legal Counsel did not feel it was appropriate to religion, ethnicity, or country of ori- on what qualifies as discrimination profile one group of individuals in a gin." Dominguez encouraged em- under Title VII. Examples of dis- 'knee-jerk' response to social re- ployers to focus on their anti-dis- crimination range from firing some- actions." Instead, the company in- crimination and harassment policies one because they have a Middle vited employees to seek inform a- with their employees, and to do Eastern accent or a common Arab tion at their choosing, and focused everything possible to prevent the name, to harassing a Muslim woman more on supporting a broad defini- "singling-out" of Middle Eastern about the hijab, or scarf, she wears tion of diversity within the company. employees. Also, the EEOC to the office. The EEOC is not the only fed- posted a section devoted to Sep- The EEOC focused on the is- eral agency working against back- tember 11 on its website, sue of backlash discrimination at a lash discrimination. The Depart- www.eeoc.gov, including a fact meeting on December Il, 2001, ments of Justice and Labor joined sheet explaining federal anti-dis- where it heard testimony and rec- the EEOC in including information crimination laws. ommendations from members of on their websites on employment So as to increase understand- communities that are targets of such rights and ways to report abuses. Spig20IL es2 Spring 2002 PILR News 24

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