SILVER SPRING: A Muslim woman who worked for a McDonald’s franchisee in the US state of Maryland has accused managers and co-workers of sexually harassing her and subjecting her to religious discrimination after she converted to Islam.

Diamond Powell, 28, of Baltimore, sued her former employer, Susdewitt Management of Lanham, Maryland, with the backing of attorneys from the Council on American-Islamic Relations, a Muslim civil rights group.

The Morgan State University graduate was Christian in 2016 when she started working for the company, which operated two McDonald’s locations at Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport. Powell converted to Islam in February 2017 and began wearing a hijab to work.

A manager told her to take that hoodie off her head, Powell’s federal lawsuit alleges.

A general manager initially granted Powell’s request to take short prayer breaks during her shifts, according to her lawsuit.

But the general manager prohibited Powell from praying in a quiet spot at the airport and instead told her to pray in a dirty stock room, the lawsuit alleged.

After Powell continued praying outside the restaurant, the general manager eventually revoked her request to take a prayer break, saying “God will understand”, according to the lawsuit.

By doing so, the general manager forced Powell to choose between continuing her employment with McDonald’s or sacrificing her sincerely-held religious beliefs, the suit said.

Powell resigned from the job in April 2018. Her suit accused Susdewitt Management of violating the Maryland Fair Employment Practices Act and the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

Published in Dawn, August 16th, 2020