Since the September 11th terrorist attacks on the United States, civil liberties have significantly deteriorated for all the American citizens. Precisely, legislations passed immediately after the attacks have undermined Arab-American perceptions of safety in the nation. This paper seeks to focus on discrimination in employment of Arabs-American, since the attacks evident by media reports regarding the increase in the issue. Henceforth, the paper will come up with recommendations for US employers to curb incidences of discrimination.
The federal law of the United States prohibits discrimination on employment basis. This illegalises job seeker or employee discrimination on any basis be it religious or nationality of origin. From September 2001 to October 2002, reported incidences of employment discrimination against Arab-American nationals increased at an alarming rate. This occurred in various forms, and they included death threats from co-workers and dismissal from employment on grounds of being of Middle Easterners. In some cases, they are to report to the management the persons they either contact by phone or email at the work place. Co-workers have been reported to create errors on work of employees of Arab origin thus leading to their dismissal from work based on poor service delivery (Peterson, 2008). Moreover, their requests to challenge their dismissal are not honoured.
Instances of discrimination against Arab-Americans have stretched to cases where employees of Arab descent are made to report their whereabouts every half an hour or are placed under keen surveillance by their employers. Co-workers and managers also are fond of making biased jokes against them (Rutledge, 2008). They further taunt them asking them why their “cousins” carried the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Centre. Arab-Americans are also given comprehensive security checks, and questioned on their immigrant status, as they report to workplace different from employees of other national origins.
Employers in the United States have also been biased against employees of Arab origin, as they are not giving employment motivations such as promotion and increase in their wages. In fact, most of them have been demoted and suspended without any basis, and are not given their unpaid wages. They have also been branded names and put on probation. Work allocation for Arab-American employees has also been high compared to co-workers. These discriminatory practices against employees of Arab origin interfere with job performance and create an abusive, hostile, and intimidating working environment (Aydemir & Sweetman, 2007).
Deductively, Arab-Americans have suffered a serious backlash following September 11th, 2001 terrorist attacks particularly in the employment sector. Employers should work closely with employees of Arab-American origin and fellow US citizens (Omar, 2011). This is bound to ensure security of the nation at large and at the same time preserve liberties and civil rights. Employment organizations should follow-up to ensure that the government continue prosecuting those who commit hate and discrimination crimes based on existing laws.
The employment sector should wipe out and avoid adapting policies that discriminate because of national origin. They should further ensure that there should be no form of racial profiling in job allocation, promotion and recruitment. Employers should supplement efforts by Arab-Americans to empower themselves, particularly in the political context, and build bridges with other American communities, as they engage in civic life at all levels of the American society.
The media are the preamble of any society. Therefore, to curb Arab-American discrimination, it should not present hate speech as a legitimate contribution to the national quorum. They should not rely on presenters who often resort to racist stereotypes and smear entire communities.
References
Aydemir, A. & Sweetman, A. (2007). First and second-generation immigrant educational
attainment and labour market outcomes: A comparison of the United States and Canada:
Toronto. Raider Publishers.
Omar, H. (2011). Arab American entrepreneurs in San Antonio, Texas: Motivation for entry into
self-employment. Journal on education, business and society: Contemporary Middle
Eastern Issues, 4, 45-64.
Peterson, P. M. (2008). America in the world: Higher education and global market place:
Pennsylvania. Whitmore Publishers.
Rutledge, M. D. (2008). Towards a theory of biculturalism: Washington. American Association
of Publishers.
