Indian American Sikh neurologist settles lawsuit against Premier Medical Group

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NEW YORK – The Sikh Coalition announced that Indian American neurologist Jaswinder Pal Singh has settled a lawsuit against Premier Medical Group in Tennessee because they discriminated him by asking about his religiously-mandated turban and beard during the hiring process in December 2016.

“I want to thank the Sikh Coalition for protecting my rights and working to ensure that religious appearance is never a factor in the job application process,” said Singh.

In the lawsuit, filed on Dec. 27, 2016 in U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee, Singh said that he had been recruited in 2014 to practice at PMG’s offices in Tennessee and during the selection process, Arthur Marshall, the recruiter, praised Singh’s credentials during phone interviews, but after Singh submitted photos of himself, the medical group and Marshall expressed concern.

When Singh submitted additional information about Sikhs and Sikhism to the company, he was denied further interviews and in 2015, filed a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, claiming that he was discriminated against because of his religion.

The EEOC then allowed him to go ahead with a lawsuit against PMG and Marshall.

According to a press statement issued by the Sikh Coalition, as a part of the agreement, the employer will strengthen its equal employment opportunity policies and retain an EEO consultant to provide anti-discrimination training for staff responsible for recruiting, interviewing and hiring employees,

“No Sikh in any job or profession should ever be denied employment because of their religion. By speaking out and taking action, I know that we will continue to hold employers directly accountable,” Singh said in a statement last December, after filing the suit.

Singh has received medical degrees from Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute and Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine and currently practices at the Graves Gilbert Clinic in Bowling Green, Kentucky.