Fired for being Muslim

There were four men that were managers at IHOP in Texas.  They all have worked there for many years. One of them has worked there over 20 years and the others have worked there for 12 years and 5 years.  They are all fighting the owner of IHOP in court because they were fired without a reason.  They all think that it is because of their nationality and religion. On court papers they all identified themselves as Muslims of Arab decent. "They weren't terminated because someone complained or because someone didn't like their attitude," said Sara Kane, a civil rights attorney representing the men. "They were fired because of who they are. That is the determining factor." All of these men were fired between March and October of 2010.  All of these men together filed a complaint with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.  They knew that they had a case with these mens complaint. "The IHOP corporation has a four-step disciplinary procedure," Kane said. "The franchisee did not follow any of those steps." Kane, along with attorney Jay Ellwanger, filed suit on behalf of the men Tuesday, against IHOP and Anthraper Investments, the firm that owns the four franchises involved in Plano, Fort Worth, Arlington and Burleston, Texas. These men say that they experienced harrassment from the company's President and the COO and also the Vice President.  The four men said that the President and the Vice President used derogatory comments to these men.
In one instance, the complaint states the men were attending a managers' meeting in 2010, where Hawker said, "Arab men treat women poorly and with disrespect, we're going to let these people go and have new faces coming in."
Outraged by the company's actions, Kane said, "This is not a Muslim issue, this is a human issue."
"It is completely disheartening and disgraceful to know that this is still going on and should not be tolerated by anyone in our society," she said. "No one else should take this case lightly because if it can happen to them, it can happen to you." It is so crazy that this is going on because you would think that we have all gotten passed the inequality.  I have been to the IHOP in Plano Texas because my family lives there and I never have had bad service there. I hope that these men win their case because they deserve it.
Kane said her clients are seeking back wages and payment for emotional damages following their terminations.