Were you ever discriminated against for a job?
By Bee1955
@Bee1955 (3882)
United States
February 14, 2007 2:09pm CST
Tell your story!
I am an American convert Muslima and wear the conservative clothing including the head veil (hijab). I am married to an American non-Muslim and people cant understand us. We've had our car keyed, grocery carts deliberatly banged against our cardoors to dent them (they were caught), getting out of the car in a parking lot next to the main street I get names called and one guy shoute "Take that thing off your head!".
But the worse was that I was discriminated for a part-time teachering assistant job in Alabama 15 years ago. I had mailed in my application and had 2 telephone interviews, my work & character excellent references had been checked and since I had taught before, the administration couldnt wait to get me started. All I had to do was show up and sign the documents and then head to the school I was assigned. The lady even called me early in the morning and told me she would be late for our meeting and not to leave until she met me!
I walked into the office and announced myself.
The secretary was in a cubicle and yelled for me to have a seat, she would bring the papers out to me (she couldnt see me because she was on the phone). When she was finished she came out and stopped. She looked at me from the top of my head to the hem of my long dress and asked me to wait a few more minutes, then without giving me the file with my name already on it. She went back into the cubicle and called her boss who was across town. Then came the whispering and she hung up. She came out empty-handed and explained that her boss couldnt break herself away from the long meeting she was in and the secretary was to tell me that the poisition was no longer available. I stared at her in disbelief and she looked away. I said you didnt have to lie, its really obvious whats going on, but she said nothing. As I got up and began to head to the exit - she called out she was realy sorry --- I just kept walking.
10 people like this
25 responses
@villageanne (8553)
• United States
14 Feb 07
That is terrible. I had no idea that people were that cruel in Charleston.I belive that everyone should be able to worhip when, where and whatever they want to. I have my personal religion but I dont judge others if theirs is different than mine. I really dont think there is much discrimination around here. I know there is some but that is to be expected with the different kinds of poeple in society.
I am so sorry that people are so cruel to you. It should not ever happen
3 people like this
@villageanne (8553)
• United States
14 Feb 07
To answer your question, no, I have never been discriminated against at work
2 people like this
@Debs_place (10520)
• United States
15 Feb 07
As you all know, I lost my job after over 22 years about 1 1/2 years ago. A friend of mine, 1 year younger then me, lost his job at the same time.
I have filled out over 180 applications and had 3 face to face interviews.
My friend was in the same boat, he went a few months ago and started falsifying the dates on his applications, all oof a sudden being 10 years younger he was getting interviews and job offers, he had 4 offers, he told them about the 'scam' the offeres immediately were reniged - granted he lied, but he had applied to all of the companies for the same type of position with the previous 6 months, he was never given a chance due to his age.
He is now suing them for age discrimination, one company offered him a job to drop the lawsuit.
I am going to guess that I went so long because of my age.
2 people like this
@Debs_place (10520)
• United States
15 Feb 07
I thought about it, but now I did get a job and the lawyer said it will be 5-10 years before he it will be settled.
He has also paid a 5k retainer to his lawyer, he has no mortgage and a wife with an income that is more then the one I lost, so financially he can afford it. I can't.
We have been talking to other people to see if we can make it a class action suit, but not sure what that will get us either.
2 people like this
@crazynurse (7482)
• United States
15 Feb 07
That is one of the reasons we are living in the town in which we are living. Aproximately 13 years ago, North CArolina had severe budget cuts in their education system. All non-tenured faculty had to go. My husband had just signed on with a North Carolina college so he was let go. We tried desparetly to stay in the area...even if it meant him working part time teaching jobs or going back to being a bench scientist rather than teaching. On more than one occassion during job interviews the interviewer said something like "man, if you were a woman this job would be yours instantly." (which of course is illegal) I kept trying to get him to follow up on the comments but he wouldn't. Long story short, because of the push to hire a woman, he could not find a job in the area. We ended up moving 3 hours away into a town that is not our cup of tea...but we are here until he retires. He always did follow up to see who was hired in the jobs for which he interviewed...it was always a female and on many occassions the female did not even have her phD as he does!
2 people like this
@destroyer (784)
• Pakistan
15 Feb 07
What happened to you was indeed terrible and very racist on part of the school adminstration.
There are people like these on both sides of the divide and sooner or later you come into contact with them! but the thing to remember is that you are on the right path! dont give up!
Speaking for myself, i am a practising muslim employeed by a british firm, my boss is a britisher but never ever objected to my having a beard or regarding anything religious! you see it takes all kinds of people to make this world! not all are good and not all are bad!
2 people like this
@edsflorida (112)
• United States
15 Feb 07
Employers should not discriminate people on race, religion, gender, ethnicity, marital status, or wealth. It's actually illegal to be discriminant against employees.
2 people like this
@xabimaru (340)
• Malaysia
15 Feb 07
Asalamualikum
I am not shocked to hear what you have mention above but it really sad and discriminative what they have done to you. I also think that you should have sued the school for their discriminative action against you. I heard about this kind of story but now i am reading it from you, it really painful and very unprofessional they are.
No worries Insya-Allah, Allah will always give the best to His servant. I think what we can do is that we just take this situation as a challenge from Allah to His servant to test their Iman.
Wassalam
@lingli_78 (12822)
• Australia
15 Feb 07
i am sorry to hear your story... well, fortunately i never have to go through the experience that you had with my job... i just want to say be strong and courageous... people are free to choose theor own religion and should not be discriminated against... it is just a pity that some people have such a short minded mind...
2 people like this
@rogue13xmen13 (14403)
• United States
15 Feb 07
I have never actually been discriminated against, but I know people at my work who have been, and I think that it is wrong.
@Ridgydidge (558)
• Australia
18 Feb 07
Not sure if you will call this discrimination but looking back I do now, going back nearly 16 years ago, I was retrenched from my job a month after I was married, (The old last to be hired first to be fired), Being 23, married and job hunting, most employers when I went for an interview found would ask “when are you planning to have children?” I would answer not for a while, even when I was perfect for the job, I found the job would be given to an unmarried girl or someone older that had finished there family.
@stailgate (2363)
• United States
18 Feb 07
This is horrible that this has happend to you. .The world has really gone to hell as far as judging people by their appearance or religion. I have never had this happen, and feel so bad that anyone has to be treated this way. Try not to let it bother you, and remember that they do not have the right to judge. so do not pay any attention to them.
1 person likes this
@Sawsen (793)
• United States
15 Feb 07
~Wow. I think you should've sued that entire school. Obviously they're racist. I just can't believe it. If the secretary had any morals, she would've handed you over those papers to sign without calling her boss.~
~I think it's pathetic how ignorant some people can really be. But you know something, I feel sorry for them. They would rather teach children how to be the same, then teach diversity. People are frightened by what they don't understand.~
@western_valleygirl (1363)
• United States
15 Feb 07
I have had a very similar situation occur to me also. I just cannot understand why they feel that it is alright for them to discriminate when people are fully capable of fulfilling their role in the job that they are applying. In fact, usually, when I go back (unwillingly, but because it was in my way, or because of a necessity) I see the new employees that they have hired, who could not be deemed qualified. Also, what I dislike even more, which is worse than not getting the job, is that they try to pass their discrimination off as a problem with the person. And what I mean by this, is that for example, I once applied for the job, and the boss that was supposed to hire me, started to ask me all sorts of questions that had nothing to do with anything, and that I could not even begin to answer, and so, he was trying to make me look incapable and inadequate, but it was all a front to try to mask his discrimination. I really get so frustrated when I think of all the times that I have experienced true discrimination, and I was exactly right for the job. Sometimes, when I am not working, it will take me a long time to start looking for a job again, because all their discrimination brings me down.
@Yestheypayme2dothis (7874)
• United States
24 Feb 07
And this situation is getting worse. In France, the Muslimahs cannot where hijabs to work or school. There was a time when the French were trying to warm up to the Algerians (most native Algerians are Muslim)to make up for the French colonization. However, Arab Muslims really have to watch their backs in the USA. They are not really free to go where they want--where other Arab Muslims hang out (the Mosque, Arab restaurants,etc) because the FBI and INS watches them to see if they talk to others). If you talk to someone who has a minor or major problem, your name goes in their little black notebook, too. That is a form of discrimination. If you let them in the country, give them their freedom! Don't make them wait five years for a work permit. Don't make them take menial jobs for 5 bucks an hour and then arrest them for it because you still have not given them a work permit! Don't say we love Muslims and then make them suffer.
1 person likes this
@Bee1955 (3882)
• United States
24 Feb 07
Oh I know I am in the FBI's book. They came to see me when I was working for a college before I moved to West Virginia. Seems someone objected to my wearing hijab (head covering - a scarf)and wanted to be sure I wasnt a "spy". I am published several times in some major Muslim publications, too, and that didnt go over too well. When I handed him my US military retiree ID card, the guy almost passed out. He said he knew he was on a wild goose chase.
1 person likes this
@bowtieguy (5915)
• United States
12 Jul 07
Yes, one time I was at an interview and the interviewer said, My father always told me never to trust a man in a bow tie, so I would I want to hire someone who is untrustworthy. Instead of dignifing him with an answer, I called him a few choice words and left after I realized that he was not being sarcastic.
1 person likes this
@bowtieguy (5915)
• United States
29 Aug 07
I didn't let it bother me, who would want to work for a man like that? People like him are hard to change and I don't think I would have enjoyed working there.
@margieanneart (26423)
• United States
16 Feb 07
I am sorry you experienced this. There are a lot of ingnorant people in this world. Especially now with the war.
We are Messianic Jewish Christians. Everyone hates us. My husband lost his last job because of his heritage.
We have had all kinds of hate crimes constantly done to us. I had them growing up always.
1 person likes this
@lucy02 (5016)
• United States
15 Feb 07
I don't think I have ever been discriminated against but who knows? I worked for a man one time who did not want overweight people working for him. Who knows what someone might discriminate for. It's all kind of silly when you think about it. I think I would have filed a lawsuit against the people at the Alabama school.
1 person likes this
@suedarr (2382)
• Canada
15 Feb 07
I am very sorry to hear what you have gone through. People can be very ignorant in today's political climate in regards to Muslim's in traditional dress. My niece married into a Pakistani Muslim family a few years ago, and she too wears a hijab as she had converted to the religon prior to marriage. Currently she is a stay at home Mom, but I oten wonder if she will be discriminated against if/when she decides to return to the workforce. I wonder this because her husband has been taunted with names such as terrorist simply because of his country of origin and because his style of dress identifies his religon. Thankfully this is not the norm, but it has happened.
@onesiobhan (1327)
• Canada
15 Feb 07
I've been discriminated against as a female, but not for religion or race.
You could very well have grounds for a lawsuit if you wanted to pursue it. It definitely sounds like blatant discriminatino to me.
1 person likes this
@sonnet (164)
• South Korea
15 Feb 07
Bee, thanks for sharing your story, I'm saddened we live in a world where this kind of behaviour is so standard, especially in our western countries which are so multicultural and diverse.
I've been living in Korea as a Westener on and off for the last 4 years. It's still a very homogeneous country though times are certainly changing. After growing up in a society that, at least superficially, values equal-opportunity and merit, it's been an interesting experience.
Any job application here must be accompanied by a photograph and I have seen (over and over by my various bosses) this becoming the deciding factor when hiring a new teacher.
Any job interview is more than likely about your personal life... Are you married? Are you a Christian?
I was hired to replace a Canadian girl of Iranian descent who was fired because her skin was "too dark". This was explained to me by my boss as the reason why they needed a replacement at short notice. Recently a co-worker arranged for a teaching position for his friend in the U.S. until the school found out he was of Chinese appearance and withdrew the offer.
No-one really raises an eye at this kind of thing anymore, we've all seen too many examples here. The society here is quite gentle and kind and I don't think they consider themselves to be racist or discriminatory based on gender or appearance, although they are admittedly quite age-ist. It's just how things are done.
1 person likes this
@warriordes (2)
• Egypt
15 Feb 07
Those are blind ignorant people.. keep on your right way and never care for those empty heads .. you're on the right way ..
1 person likes this
