A Muslim flight attendant says she was suspended from ExpressJet for refusing to serve alcohol, which is against her religious beliefs. She has filed a discrimination complaint with the Equal Opportunity Employment Commission.

Charee Stanley, 40, was placed on administrative leave for 12 months in late August after the airline said it was revoking its religious accommodation for the employee. That accommodation had previously allowed the flight attendant to decline serving alcohol.

Lena Masri, an attorney for the Council on America-Islamic Relations Michigan, said Stanley's "employment may be administratively terminated" after the 12-month period is over.

The lawyer said they are requesting the reinstatement of her employment, and for the accommodation of her religious beliefs to be simultaneously reinstated.

She went on to state that ExpressJet Airlines has an "obligation under the law to reasonably accommodate Ms. Stanley's religious beliefs," and has violated Stanley's constitutional rights.

Stanley, who has worked for the airline for nearly three years, converted to Islam about two years ago. This year, she learned that her faith prohibits her from serving alcohol, Masri said.

The employee previously had an understanding with the airline that she would task her fellow flight attendants with the serving of alcohol on flights. This arrangement was agreed upon after she approached her supervisor on June 1.

But on August 2, a fellow flight attendant filed a complaint against Stanley, claiming she was not fulfilling her duties by refusing to serve alcohol. The complaint also stated that Stanley had a book with "foreign writings" and wore a headdress, CNN reported.

It was three weeks after that complaint - which Masri says was "Islamophobic" - that Stanley received a letter stating she was being put on administrative leave.

Stanley said the airline has put her in a difficult and unwarranted situation.

"I don't think that I should have to choose between practicing my religion properly or earning a living," Stanley said, as quoted by CBS affiliate WWJ-AM. "I shouldn't have to choose between one or the other, because they're both important."

ExpressJet spokesman Jarek Beem said: "We embrace and respect the values of all of our team members. We are an equal opportunity employer with a long history of diversity in our workforce. As Ms. Stanley is an employee, we are not able to comment on her personnel matters."

Based in College Park, Georgia, ExpressJet operates scheduled flights as American Eagle, Delta Connection, and United Express.

Comment: She should find another job.She has no right to impose her beliefs on others. That's what freedom of belief is all about.

Hey... !

I wasn't being that unruly !

all the Canadian mist you were drinking...

I believe just like accommodating allergy or handicap, this should be something included in the application process and the employer can decide whether based upon whether they are hiring the best suited employees, they wish to accommodate their unique situation


allow it to be a company/employer decision, and they should be able to show where the employee is doing their job well enough that their loss would do more harm than good,,,

That's It... !

I'm smuggling a plastic flask on-board next time.

This is going to get messy unfortunately.

I know...

Next, she wasn't going to let me have a Barf Bag.

true... shes in customer service, and not servicing the customers... the feds should stay out of it...

glad i wasn't sitting next to you...

I must admit...

It might have been 'how' I asked for that drink...











"Just give me a Texas Mickey of something, and throw away the cap !"

Restaurant serving steak and wine.

Customer 1: Can i have a glass of wine?
Waiter 1 : Asking manager to help..can't serve due to religious belief
Customer 2: Can i steak medium rare?
Waiter 2 : Asking Manager to help.. cant serve due to religious belief.
Customer 3: Can i have the bill please?
Manager: Sorry sir. My religious belief in giving.. therefore i can't bill you. You are free to go.

She should find another job then. If you cant do your job they will hire someone who can.

So, what prevented other flight attendants from serving alcohol?
Seriously, a reasonable accommodation existed.

Clearly you've never hired someone before. You can not ask questions about religion, sexual preference or Identity or any other personal thing it is against the law.

Yes... !

Our religious rights should be maintained.

Thank God, nobody should have to fly sober !

Ok She has worked for the airlines for 3 years... She knew the terms of employment conditions were to serve alcohol at the time she became an employee of said business. She converted to ISlam 2 years ago..Now her work ethics has changed due to her personal growth which by all means that is her right. It isn't her right to change a complete policy for said business. IF they aren't a good fit then time to move on. Not the time to get a free ride.

My question first starts with how is that her employer's responsibility. I equate that thinking to a stripper that suddenly finds Christ and it is no longer in her faith to strip so the employer should allow her to continue dancing without taking said clothes off.

Or we can use a server that serves coffee as they bring the meal to you and suddenly they become Morman and don't believe in caffienated beverages. So they don't bring you coffee anymore. Really??? Get a different job.


If my understanding is correct here.. Her co workers are tired of picking up the slack for her..

That could also equate that the stripper above co workers are tired of working double shift of stripping so converted stripper can work less by dancing and keeping clothes on and keep the same pay as of strippers that are actually providing the service that patrons come in.

Or as the server that won't serve coffee so other servers are picking up the slack.. Really does anyone see the trend here and the doors opening up.

I am sorry I think this is stupid.. If you apply for a job and you get the job and you understand the job duties that you will be responsible for providing. No matter how your life choices evolve.

I don't see anyone telling her not to practice her religion what I do see is that her personal choices are not compatible with said profession and she is the one that needs to make a choice.

Why does the world have to revolve around any one set of beliefs. It shouldn't and hopefully won't.

Anyone has the right to work, live, shop, etc, anywhere they chose to as long as we don't have to change the entire for a few or one.. That is where I say it has to stop.

If I had an employee in my office that turned to one faith or another or any other altering personal lifestyle changes. .. I would do all I could to accommodate them but to the expense of other staffers. If they felt that their faith had put them in a position of not performing their said duties they understood would be expected. It would be time to terminate them with no hard feelings.

I also believe faith, sexuality, politically belief's etc doesn't belong in the workplace what a person believes, or practices frankly isn't any of my professional business.

no it isnt, they have an option on every application to include such information, it jsut cant be MANDATED

and if one finds it important enough, they will include it

except a strippers job is in the name 'strip', if she cant do that, yeah, it makes sense not to work in that field

however a flight attendant is there to attend to the passengers, with nothing more SPECIFIC than that,,,,so if the attendant has one slim area where there is going to be a conflict ,there really isnt reason to consider an accomodation if it is reasonable

Ok point made
Take the "stripper" Out of the equation.
And just use the "server" example
How is that any different than a flight attendant?
They both serve

thats true, but exceptions can be made

for instance, someone with a peanut allergy may be accomodated in a restaurant that serves peanut dishes

someone that is not old enough to drink , is accomodated at the grocery store when someone wishes to purchase alchol....

etc,,,