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Blockbuster pays a price for discriminating against a Jew

R

Riprorin

Banned
EEOC, Blockbuster settle religious discrimination suit

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) this week said a religious discrimination case out of Arizona against Blockbuster Inc. has been settled for $50,000.
The lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court of Phoenix on behalf of Leonard Teplitsky, who once worked for a Blockbuster store in Scottsdale.

In November 2002, Teplitsky, who was then a 17-year-old Chaparral High School student and Blockbuster employee, was told by Blockbuster management that he could not wear his yarmulke, recognizing his Jewish faith, to work because of a storewide policy prohibiting all employees from wearing hats or any type of headwear.

"Blockbuster is pleased to have reached a conclusion in this case," said Randy Hargrove, a spokesman for Dallas-based Blockbuster. "This was an unfortunate, isolated incident and these allegations do not reflect the way we conduct business at our stores.

"Blockbuster has a long-standing dress code, which includes accommodations for religious beliefs," added Hargrove. "We have offered our regrets to Mr. Teplitsky for any failure to honor his request for religious accommodation, and we have assured him that we will continue to take the necessary steps to ensure that an employee's religious beliefs are accommodated. Blockbuster does not condone or tolerate discrimination of any type."

Mary Jo O'Neill, regional attorney for the EEOC's Phoenix District office, said religious discrimination cases are up 30 percent nationwide over the past 10 years.

EEOC, Blockbuster settle religious discrimination suit

This is good news. Companies that practice religious discrimination and bigotry ought to be hit hard where it hurts - the pocketbook.

 
i don't get the line "Blockbuster has a long-standing dress code, which includes accommodations for religious beliefs".... if they accomodate religious beliefs, then why the hell did htey get sued and why the hell did htis issue arise???
 
Originally posted by: KidViciou$
i don't get the line "Blockbuster has a long-standing dress code, which includes accommodations for religious beliefs".... if they accomodate religious beliefs, then why the hell did htey get sued and why the hell did htis issue arise???
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Well, it certainly appears that either he's liar or Blockbuster is a shoddily run company.

No more movie rentals for me at Blockbuster.
 
I'm glad he won. Now lets hope rubs off on other countries like France.


Though it really doesn't seem like it was purposeful discrimination, and I don't agree with the fine that occured unless it was 50,000 in legal fees.
 
Originally posted by: magomago
I'm glad he won. Now lets hope rubs off on other countries like France.


Though it really doesn't seem like it was purposeful discrimination, and I don't agree with the fine that occured unless it was 50,000 in legal fees.
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Oooh. I agree with you. The French banning of the Muslim scarves and such was lame!

Choose Netflix.
 
Originally posted by: Riprorin
Originally posted by: KidViciou$
i don't get the line "Blockbuster has a long-standing dress code, which includes accommodations for religious beliefs".... if they accomodate religious beliefs, then why the hell did htey get sued and why the hell did htis issue arise???
Click to expand...

Well, it certainly appears that either he's liar or Blockbuster is a shoddily run company.

No more movie rentals for me at Blockbuster.
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Somehow I doubt you'd care if a Muslim woman was forbidden to wear a burka.
 
Originally posted by: Red Dawn
Originally posted by: sbacpo
Originally posted by: Red Dawn
Speaking of Religious discrimination it seems the Fundies at the Air Force Academy are guilty of it themselves!
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Update:

No Discrimination Found
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LOL by an inquiry conducted by the Air Force:shocked:
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i dont know if you saw the pc on that one but it was pretty interesting.
there was a point when one of the men, when asked to reconcile the claim that the problems "are not institutional" and the admission that evangelicals seem to be heavily favored in hiring answered something like 'it is not institutional because of the leadership' but i thought it was pretty obvious that the commander in chief is quite open about his religion. im pretty sure they meant the academy itself but i found it an interesting distinction.
about the OP: i didnt think anyone was seriously dumb enough to consider that a hat.
 
I just don't understand any religion that requires the wearing of funny hats or clothes. What the hell does how you dress have anything to do with you how holy you are? I mean except for the Pope and his pointy hats of course. Pointy hats rock!!!!

 
Most likely what happened is that you had a manager that wasn't really aware of the exceptions to the dress code for religeous clothing and/or was a conservative dresser who wanted everyone dressing the same.

I think businesses should be allowed to set their own dress codes. If you don't like it, work somewhere else. If the People find it offensive, let them stage public protests in front of their stores. Its how the militant lactivists get their point across.
 
Originally posted by: ToeJam13
I think businesses should be allowed to set their own dress codes. If you don't like it, work somewhere else. If the People find it offensive, let them stage public protests in front of their stores. Its how the militant lactivists get their point across.
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yeh im sure that will happen when there are Federal discrimination laws on the books against religious descrimination. Anyways business discriminate now by not hiring overweight or African Americans, etc... Just like everything in life when things are going good then you want to keep it the same and change is a threat to sameness. Thats why 90% of companies in the US have a white middle aged male CEO. I'm not African American btw im just pointing out how American society is run...

 
In November 2002, Teplitsky, who was then a 17-year-old Chaparral High School student and Blockbuster employee, was told by Blockbuster management that he could not wear his yarmulke, recognizing his Jewish faith, to work because of a storewide policy prohibiting all employees from wearing hats or any type of headwear.
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I fail to see how this is a case of discrimination. As far as I can tell from the information provided, he was not singled out for being Jewish...he was singled out for violating company policy.

"Blockbuster has a long-standing dress code, which includes accommodations for religious beliefs," added Hargrove. "We have offered our regrets to Mr. Teplitsky for any failure to honor his request for religious accommodation, and we have assured him that we will continue to take the necessary steps to ensure that an employee's religious beliefs are accommodated. Blockbuster does not condone or tolerate discrimination of any type."
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What is the corporate policy for accomodating religious beliefs in the dress code? Is there a process in place, and did Mr. Teplistsky follow said process...or did he call his lawyer the moment he was asked to remove his yarmulke.

Mary Jo O'Neill, regional attorney for the EEOC's Phoenix District office, said religious discrimination cases are up 30 percent nationwide over the past 10 years.
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Lawsuits have become a form of lottery in our society...I keep hoping everyday that someone will inconvenience or offend me so I can make a quick 50K...does this statistic suggest that religious discrimination is on the rise, or that people are quicker in making a case of perceived discrimination...after all, litigation has become a profitable venture for many.

 
Starbuck, it's not just discrimination, but goes against the constitution, to not make reasonable accomodations to those of other faiths. Keeping a small headcovering on for a jew, or a scarf for a muslim woman, isn't exactly pushing the limits of reasonable.
 
let's get down to the heart of the matter here - he's doing this b/c he's a jew and we all know how jews are right? those dirty jews will sue anyone for anything. i'm glad rip is here to point this out for us so we all know not to mess with those tricky jews!!! 🙂

seriously though - he violated company policy (although a policy which in this case seems unreasonable and silly) and they can make him take off his religious gear. going straight to the court system would be the incorrect course of action but perhaps this isn't how it went....
 
Starbuck, it's not just discrimination, but goes against the constitution, to not make reasonable accomodations to those of other faiths. Keeping a small headcovering on for a jew, or a scarf for a muslim woman, isn't exactly pushing the limits of reasonable.
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There is not enough information provided to determine whether or not Blockbuster reasonably accomodated any request to accomodate his religious headgear.

I don't think it is pushing the limits of the reasonable for those of religious faith to respect or otherwise accomodate the dress codes of the places of business that THEY CHOSE to seek employment with.

I do not see enforcement of a dress code as being a form of discrimination...if an organization has a dress code that poses a problem for your religious faith, then perhaps you should seek employment elsewhere.

If a corporation has a dress code, it is for a specific reason, that has much to do with corporate and brand identity...while I do not approve of discrimination in any form, I also do not agree with those that go into a situation understanding the status quo and then seek to receive special treatment or exceptions to the rule.

 
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