Press Release: “SALDEF Urges Passage of Religious Freedom Legislation”

December 6, 2005

Source: Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund

On December 6, 2005 a Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund Press Report stated, "Last month the House Subcommittee on Employer-Employee Relations held a briefing on the Workplace Religious Freedom Act of 2005 (WRFA). This piece of legislation would provide greater protection against discrimination for people of faith. WRFA will require employers to reasonably accommodate the religious needs of their employees in the workplace. Typical examples covered by WRFA include allowing for religious clothing (such as turbans, yarmulkes, and head-scarves) and for flexible scheduling arrangements to facilitate holiday observances (such as agreeing to work on another holiday in order to observe Vaisakhi, the Sikh New Year)... The hearing was preceded by a Press Conference organized by the Work Place Religious Freedom Coalition, of which SALDEF is an active member. 'Since September 11, 2001 Sikh Americans have been mistakenly associated with terrorism and criminal activity,' stated SALDEF Associate Director Rajbir Singh Datta. 'Unfortunately this perception has made its way into our nation’s places of employment and the threat of increased discrimination continues to persist.' Mr. Datta added... 'As Americans, we all must advocate for religious freedom everywhere, because people of faith must never be told to check their religion at the door.'"