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Compliance June 11, 2003
North Carolina Medical Clinic Settles 9/11 Discrimination Case
November 18, 2002 (PLANSPONSOR.com) - A Wilmington,
North Carolina medical practice has agreed to pay a former
nurse $35,000 in a religious harassment case.
Reported by Fred Schneyer
The US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) said the Medical Clinic discriminated against nurse Karen Crisco after 9/11 for dating a Muslim man and then converting to Islam herself.
The Medical Clinic was also accused of subjecting Crisco to a hostile environment after she wanted to wear a “Hijab” religious scar to work. The environment included verbal harassment and derogatory remarks connected to the 9/11 terrorist attacks, the EEOC said.
The agency said the clinic insisted Crisco remove the scarf after one day, stating that it had frightened patients.
The EEOC said it concluded that the clinic had failed to accommodate Crisco’s religious beliefs and fired her based on her religion. The clinic denied any wrongdoing in the settlement.