Wednesday, November 20, 2013

US Sikh with beard gets $50,000 for job denial


IANS
New Jersey, Nov 20: An Indian-American Sikh man, who was denied a job for keeping a beard by a car dealership in New Jersey five years ago, will receive $50,000 as compensation in an out-of-court settlement.
Gurpreet Singh Kherha, a resident of Little Falls, New Jersey, who had applied for a sales position at Tri-County Lexus in February 2008, was told by the hiring manager that although he was well-qualified, he could not be hired because of the dealership's strict "no beard" policy.
Kherha then took his case to the Sikh Coalition, a community organisation, which filed a discrimination claim along with the the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) in November 2008, and a lawsuit was filed in New Jersey State Court in February 2010.
The terms of the settlement with the Sikh Coalition and EEOC over alleged hiring malpractices also requires Tri-County Lexus dealership to enter into a two-year remedial programme.
The programme includes revising its written policies and procedures prohibiting employment discrimination and providing ongoing training to all staff on anti-discrimination laws, with a focus on religious discrimination and religious accommodation laws.
The dealership will also be required to ensure that a copy of its revised policies is provided to any applicant who requests a religious accommodation during the hiring or interviewing process.
The EEOC will monitor and ensure the dealership's compliance with the terms of the court-ordered consent decree.
"As this settlement demonstrates, Sikh Americans have a right to live, work, and thrive in the US, just like anyone else," said Gurjot Kaur, staff attorney at the Sikh Coalition.
"We will continue to stand up against employers who fail to understand their legal obligations to provide religious accommodations and keep Sikhs and other religious minorities out of the workplace," she said.

with thanks : IANS : LINK

Monday, November 18, 2013

Dr.Kristina Myrvold : "Young Swedish Sikhs :Translating Sikhism and Negotiating Identities in Northen Europe"

Dr,Kristina Myrvold's lecture on "Young Swedish Sikhs : Translating Sikhism and Negotiating Identities in Northen Europe "was very well received at UC Riverside. As a Swedish scholar of Sikhism she did an excellent job in highlighting the evolution of Sikhism in Northern Europe, particularly how young Sikhs are asserting their identity in a Swedish cultural context.  

( Dr.Kristina Myrvold  with Professor Pashaura Singh ( University of California,Riverside,USA)


Pics Parkash Utsav at Gurdwara Rakabganj sahib, Delhi












Saturday, November 16, 2013

Happy Gurupurab ji. Aap sab nu lakh lakh vadhaiyaan hovan ji.


Obama greets Sikhs on Guru Nanak birthday

Obama greets Sikhs on Guru Nanak birthday
IANS
Washington, Nov 16: President Barack Obama has greeted "Sikh friends" around the world on the birth anniversary of Sikhism's founder Guru Nanak saying Sikh values of pluralism were also "central to who we are as Americans."
"This sacred time is an occasion to reflect on Guru Nanak's timeless teachings and the principles that are at the heart of Sikhism, including the equality of all human beings, the pluralism we cherish in diverse societies and the compassion we owe one another," he said in a message on Friday.
Expressing gratefulness "to the many Sikh Americans who give life to these values and enrich our country every day," Obama said they reminded "us that these shared principles are not only at the heart of the Sikh faith, they are central to who we are as Americans."
White House is also set to celebrate Guru Nanak's birth anniversary on Wednesday.
Here is the text of Obama's message:
"I want to extend my best wishes to all our Sikh friends, across the United States and around the world, who this weekend are observing the anniversary of the birth of Guru Nanak Dev Ji, the first Sikh Guru.
"This sacred time is an occasion to reflect on Guru Nanak's timeless teachings and the principles that are at the heart of Sikhism, including the equality of all human beings, the pluralism we cherish in diverse societies and the compassion we owe one another.
"Here in the United States, we're grateful to the many Sikh Americans who give life to these values and enrich our country every day, reminding us that these shared principles are not only at the heart of the Sikh faith, they are central to who we are as Americans.
The Sikh community welcomed Obama's greetings saying he and his administration have shown particular respect for Sikhs and their religious observances
Obama "has stood with Sikh community in the most challenging times last year during the Oak Creek, Wisconsin Gurdwara shooting and he tried his best to give comfort to the Sikhs and the nation," said Dr. Rajwant Singh, Chairman of the Sikh Council on Religion and Education.
"We are committed to be a partner with President Obama in building a loving society where no one feels left out," he said.

with thanks : IANS : LINK

Friday, November 8, 2013

Gurmat samagam : must visit today if nearby


Elderly Sikh assaulted in Britain dies

An 80-year-old Sikh man, who was assaulted by a teenaged girl in the British city of Coventry in August this year, has died.
Joginder Singh, who was assaulted on Trinity Street in Coventry city centre by Coral Millerchip, 19, around 8.30 p.m. Aug 10, died Nov 3, the police of West Midlands county said in a statement Thursday.
The incident was captured on closed circuit television (CCTV) and the footage was widely circulated on social media.
The victim, who suffered a cut nose and swelling, hailed from the Canley neighbourhood of the city.
Millerchip also spat on the victim and verbally abused him.
Millerchip confessed to the crime last month, but following the death of Singh she is likely to face more stringent charges.
"Following the assault, Singh was re-admitted to hospital and was being treated for a diagnosed condition and at this stage it is unclear if that is directly connected with the assault," Matt Markham, an officer in the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), said in the statement.
Singh was reportedly "fighting for his life" when Millerchip appeared in Coventry Magistrate's Court in August for her first hearing.
Prosecutor Pamela Meinert, during the hearing, said that Singh was in a critical condition in hospital.
However, she added that she was not sure whether his condition had anything to do with the attack.
Singh was discharged from hospital after the attack but was later re-admitted for treatment.
The post-mortem examination report has not yet come and police said further tests were being done to know the actual cause of his death.
"It's really bad news - an extremely sad day for the community," Harjinder Singh Sehmi, the counsel of the deceased, said.

with thanks : Business Standard : LINK

The August news can be read from the LINK