ABSTRACT
Employment discrimination against Sikhs became especially problematic in the immediate wake of the 9/11 attacks. Major companies such as Disney and Subway refused to employ Sikhs or harassed Sikh employees, apparently because turbaned Sikhs did not conform to their conceptions of what a presentable employee looks like. With respect to government jobs, Sikhs with turbans have faced marked difficulties in police departments in the United States after 9/11. Somewhat surprisingly, the most prominent examples of employment discrimination affecting the Sikh community, in the police or otherwise, are alleged to have occurred in one of the country's most diverse corners. New York City, and in one of the nation's most celebrated law enforcement offices, the New York Police Department (NYPD). The Sikh Coalition has filed suit on behalf of Harrington. The Department of Justice (DOJ) has also filed suit on behalf of Harrington.
