The San Francisco Bay Area office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-SFBA) announced today that it has filed a formal complaint with the California Civil Rights Department on behalf of Yasmin Bishr, a former nurse at MarinHealth Medical Center in Greenbrae, who was compelled to resign from her position at the hospital on April 17 after facing discriminatory treatment for wearing a “Free Palestine” badge reel, the lanyard holding an ID.
Bishr, who is of Libyan-Swiss origin, wore a “Free Palestine” badge reel as a symbol of her support for humanitarian efforts in Gaza and advocacy against the ongoing atrocities there.
Despite her colleagues being permitted to display badge reels with various political messages, such as “Black Lives Matter,” “Thin Blue Line,” and LGBTQ advocacy pins, Bishr was discriminatorily singled out by hospital administrators and ordered to remove her badge reel or face termination.
The complaint alleges that Bishr was subjected to unlawful discrimination and harassment based on her actual or perceived national origin and association with individuals of a protected class. Despite being otherwise qualified for and performing satisfactorily in her role, Bishr was treated more harshly than other employees who had engaged in similar behavior at work.
In a statement, CAIR-SFBA Senior Civil Rights Attorney Jeffrey Wang said:
“The way Ms. Bishr was treated in comparison to her colleagues is a clear example of discrimination. It is no coincidence that only Ms. Bishr, who is visibly of Middle Eastern/North African descent, faced consequences for her badge reel, while her colleagues were not similarly disciplined. The hospital’s discriminatory actions left us no choice but to file a complaint.”
Bishr also spoke out about her experience, stating:
“I wore the ‘Free Palestine’ badge reel as a reminder of the humanitarian health crisis in Gaza and to express my solidarity with those suffering. I was shocked and hurt when I was singled out for my badge reel. I felt like I was being punished for who I am and what I stand for. No one should have to face this kind of treatment at their workplace.”
CAIR-SFBA Executive Director Zahra Billoo added:
“No employee should have to sacrifice their beliefs or face retaliation for advocating for human rights. We hope this complaint not only brings justice for our client but also serves as a wake-up call for employers to examine and rectify biased policies that disproportionately impact employees based on their ethnicity or religious views.”
CAIR-SFBA is committed to defending the rights of individuals to express their beliefs without fear of retaliation or harassment, especially when advocating for human rights and justice.