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Dispute over ceremonial knife leads to suit against nursing home
By Denny Walsh - dwalsh@sacbee.com
Last Updated 2:20 pm PST Friday, February 29, 2008
The Citrus Heights facility of ManorCare Health Services, one of the nation's largest skilled nursing home chains, has been sued in Sacramento federal court by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, which alleges that the company failed to accommodate the sincerely held religious beliefs of a Sikh woman employed at the facility.
Baljit Kaur Bhandal was given an ultimatum by the company to remove her kirpan - a small, dull, sheathed ceremonial knife worn under her clothing - while at work or lose her job, according to the lawsuit, filed Thursday.
Bhandal "was constructively discharged from her employment when she determined that she could not violate the requirements of her religion in order to keep her job," the suit claims.
It states the company's action violated federal civil rights laws meant "to correct unlawful employment practices on the basis of religion."
ManorCare corporate spokeswoman Kelly Kessler said Friday, "Once we receive the suit, we will review it and respond accordingly. It is our policy not to discuss pending lawsuits."
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