Council on American-Islamic Relations blames finance manager

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has accused Rizza Cadillac Inc. of violating federal law by allegedly encouraging a work environment that was hostile and offensive to Muslim and Arab sales employees Medhat Adawy, his son Adam, and Mohammed El-Hajjami when they worked from January 2007 to November 2009.

The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) spokesman Maryam Arain blamed Rizza Cadillac's finance manager. Allegedly the dealership fired the Adawys in September 2009 and terminated El-Hajjami two months later. That same year the finance manager was promoted to general manager.

The EEOC claims managers at the dealership created a discriminatory work environment by using offensive slurs as well as mocking references to the Quran and the manner in which Muslims pray.

John C. Hendrickson, the EEOC's regional attorney said, “Employers may not allow managers to repeatedly make offensive slurs and insults about an employee's religion or national origin.

“Comments implying that all Muslims are terrorists cannot be excused or minimized by calling it mere ‘banter' about a minority ethnicity or religion.

The EEOC stands ready to protect Muslim and Arab workers when they are subjected to such harassment.”

Rizza Cadillac failed to take prompt and effective measures…

John Rowe, director of the EEOC's district office, said an investigation showed “Rizza Cadillac failed to take prompt and effective measures to stop and prevent this abusive misconduct, as they were required to do by federal law. Employees should be judged by their performance, not their religion or ethnicity.”

Harassment based on national origin or religion violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The commission filed suit in federal court after first attempting to reach a pre-litigation settlement through its conciliation process.

The lawsuit filed against the new car dealership seeks compensatory and punitive damages and requires the dealership to implement measures to prevent a recurrence of harassment as well as a permanent injunction against future discrimination.