Short Paper: Employment Law
Kareem's firing was the result of poor performance induced by the many breaks he took
during the workday. Kareem's pauses, on the other hand, were caused by his religious habits,
which forced him to pray five times each day (SNHU, n.d.). As a result, Kareem's firing is very
certainly illegal and a blatant violation of Section VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. According
to the statute, it is "unlawful for a covered employer to discriminate against any individual" on
the basis of religion (Robinson, Hamilton, Franklin, 2011, p. 42). Additionally, the legislation
makes it illegal for a covered employer to make any type of employment choice based on
religion when the individual is treated differently in the workplace (Robinson, Hamilton,
Franklin, 2011). Therefore, Kareem's firing is most likely illegal, which is why he sought legal
counsel. According to the transcripts of the case study, the termination was due to Kareem taking
more pauses to pray owing to religious commitments.
Regardless of where the site is located, the corporation may potentially be held
accountable within legal provisions for this severance. Some jurisdictions or territories, such as
New York State, may have extra hr policies, which might put the corporation in even more
problems (New York Wrongful Termination Law, 2017). Kareem's firing may have been
prevented if he had informed his manager, Janet, about his religious obligations. Thomas and
Janet are the primary workers who should be held accountable for this disagreement. Janet was
Kareem's boss, and she should have asked him about his absences from his desk. She avoided
talking to Kareem and even went so far as to laud his performance on occasion. Additionally, had
Janet discussed her observations with Kareem in the first place, the risk of a lawsuit and
reputational damage would have been reduced (SNHU, n.d.).
Thomas, the contact center manager, is the other key liable party because he was the one
who fired Kareem. Thomas also failed to talk with Kareem about his performance, nor did he
speak with Janet about it. Instead, he took a few minutes to make some observations before
proceeding with the termination. If Thomas had talked with Janet and had her speak with
Kareem, or even if Thomas had spoken with Kareem, the likelihood of a lawsuit would be
reduced (SNHU, n.d.).
Michael, to a lesser extent, would be held liable since he could have spoken with Kareem
about what was going on in a pleasant manner. Kareem was honest enough to tell Kathy that he
had to pray five times a day for his faith, and he would have told Michael the same thing. With
that, it is suggested that someone from HR have a kind chat with Michael, but nothing serious.
Finally, Kareem should be held accountable because he did not inform anybody about his faith
and believed he could just leave his work five times a day to pray without anyone knowing. He
must have some responsibility for the confrontation.
There are several techniques that the organization might use to foster an accountability
culture. One such technique may be to have managers meet with their staff each month to do
regular monthly performance assessments. This might help to improve the interaction between
agents and supervisors, leading to more open communication. Establishing lines of
communication between agents and supervisors is critical so that agents feel like they have an
advocate and someone with whom they can chat about work, as well as someone who can help
set objectives and give support when required.
Increasing internal communication might be another method to foster an accountability
culture. Making staff feel connected with the call center may help to establish connections,
which may lead to a more collaborative workplace rather than one where everyone appears to be
out for themselves. If Janet had approached Kareem when she observed his statistics dropping,
they could have discussed what was causing it, preventing any form of dispute. Communication
is essential, and having a staff that feels connected is one approach to increase transparency.
References
New York Wrongful Termination Law. New York Employment Law Help Center. (2017, January
21). Retrieved January 7, 2023, from https://employmentlaw.help/new-york/new-york-
wrongful-termination/
Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU). (n.d.). WCM 620 Final Project Case Study.
Retrieved November 20, 2022, from https://learn.snhu.edu/content/enforced/1204117-
WCM-620-X2581-OL-TRAD-GR.22TW2/Course%20Documents/WCM%20620%20Final
%20Project%20Case%20Study.pdf
Robinson, R. K., Hamilton, R. H., & Franklin, G. M. (2011, November 2). Workplace Religious
Accommodation Issues for Adherents of Islam. Retrieved December 19, 2022, from
https://www.abacademies.org/articles/bsjvol3si22011.pdf
