Muslim Woman Sues Whitehall Jewellers Over Discrimination

Shereen Attia, a Muslim woman from California, has filed a lawsuit against Whitehall Jewellers for religious discrimination. Attia, a former employee who was asked to return to work at the company was allegedly turned down because she had begun to wear a traditional Muslim headscarf.

According to the suit, filled at the Solano, CA County Court, Attia, an often-praised salesperson, worked part-time at a Whitehall Jewellers store in Solano.

She was laid off when the store closed in April 2006, but was later asked by her former manager, Rhoda Downey, to apply for work at a different branch a few months later. In the interim, Attia's religious beliefs prompted her to begin covering her hair with a traditional headscarf.

Attia, wearing the headscarf, visited the new store to submit her application. When she later called the store, Downey allegedly told Attia that she was shocked to see her with the “head thing,” adding that the district manager had said “Oh no, not another one”, directing Downey to not hire Attia.

The lawsuit says the defendants “Acted with malice and oppression and with willful and conscious disregard of Attia’s rights,” and asks the court to award her damages.

Whitehall declined to comment.