Islamic group sues Ariens over prayer breaks

An Islamic group that says it represents 19 Muslim former employees at Ariens Co., in Brillion, has filed a lawsuit against the company alleging it wrongfully revoked prayer rights in the workplace.

The lawsuit filed Wednesday in federal court in Green Bay by the Council on American-Islamic Relations seeks the reinstatement of fired Muslim employees, back pay and other damages. It also wants Ariens to reinstate a religious accommodation policy allowing Muslim workers to take short breaks to perform their prayers during work time.

“By revoking their religious accommodation that was in place, Ariens Company unlawfully forced its Somali workers to choose between their faith and their employment,” Jaylani Hussein, executive director of the group’s Minnesota chapter, said in a statement.

Ariens said in a statement that, “We were surprised and disappointed to learn that the Council on American-Islamic Relations ... filed a complaint alleging religious discrimination against Ariens Company. The United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission investigated those allegations and dismissed CAIR’s EEOC complaint in September . ... We believe that the EEOC’s dismissal decision was correct and that the we will prevail in this matter.”

In 2016, the manufacturer of snowblowers and lawn mowers fired seven Muslims for taking unscheduled prayer time, while 14 other employees resigned over the issue.

More than 50 Somali immigrant Muslims at Ariens protested the company’s policy of two, 10-minute breaks per work shift — without accommodations for unscheduled prayer time. The Muslim employees wanted Ariens to continue allowing them to leave their work stations at different times — such as at dawn and sunset — to pray in accordance with their faith.

By law, an employer must provide “reasonable accommodations” for religious practices, provided they do not result in a hardship for the employer.

Ariens Co. said prayer breaks, several times a day, could cost it at least $1 million a year in lost productivity.