Sikh Joins Police Academy After Testifying in Support of AB1964
October 10, 2014 (Fremont, CA) – In the second of our four-part series, we bring you the story of Amandeep Singh, a young man who was pivotal in enacting AB1964, or California’s Workplace Religious Freedom Act. In 2012, Police Cadet Amandeep Singh - a resident of Yuba City, CA - testified before the Committee on Labor and Employment at the California State Assembly about his experiences as a Sikh trying to join law enforcement. Cadet Singh had tried joining a police agency for seven years but was not allowed to do so because of his Sikh articles of faith (specifically, his turban and unshorn beard).
Cadet Singh's compelling testimony was critical in helping to pass AB1964, a law that provides workers in California with the nation's strongest protections against religious discrimination.
Click here to read Cadet Singh's testimony from the 2012 hearing. Click here to watch a video of the 2012 hearing. Click here for photos from the 2012 hearing.
It was only after the passage of AB1964 that Cadet Singh’s desire to start a law enforcement career became a reality. Cadet Singh is currently enrolled at the Yuba College Police Academy and hopes to work as a uniformed police officer when he graduates.
We wish Cadet Singh the best of luck and thank him for all his efforts in helping to enact the very law that protects him today.
Community Leadership Makes a Difference
This victory could not have been possible without the tireless efforts of the California Sikh community, which made numerous trips to the state capitol to testify at hearings and show their support for AB1964. Although the bill was introduced by State Assembly Member Mariko Yamada and sponsored by the Sikh Coalition, the grassroots activism of the California Sikh community during each step of the legislative process made all the difference.
If you know of anyone impacted by AB1964, please contact us at [email protected].
As always, we urge all Sikhs to practice their faith fearlessly.
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Related Article
Sikh Correctional Officer Adopts Sikh Articles of Faith, Obtains Religious Accommodation
October 13, 2014 (Fremont, CA) – On October 10, 2014, we shared the story [see above - ED] of Police Cadet Amandeep Singh, who is pursuing his dream of a career in law enforcement after the passage of AB1964, California's Workplace Religious Freedom Act. Today, we continue with the third part of our four-part series and bring you the story of Correctional Officer (“CO”) Sukhvinder Singh Hundal from Yolo County, California.
CO Hundal has been employed by the Yolo County Sheriff's Office as a correctional officer for approximately 16 years. The department’s strict uniform and grooming guidelines prohibited him from keeping his hair and beard unshorn and wearing a turban at work. For 16 years, CO Hundal did not believe he could practice his religion while building his career.
After AB1964 became law in January 2013, CO Hundal decided to become Amritdhari (an initiated Sikh) and more observant in his religious practice. He began to wear a turban and grow his hair and beard. The new law gave him confidence to practice his religion in the workplace. CO Hundal submitted a request for a religious accommodation to his employer, explaining that he intended to maintain the Sikh articles of faith, and attaching a copy of the new law in support of his request. Under the new law, a request for a religious accommodation can only be denied if the employer proves that granting the request would be a significant difficulty or expense.
Without any questions, the Yolo County Sheriff’s Office immediately granted CO Hundal a religious accommodation. Today, CO Hundal proudly maintains his Sikh articles of faith, including his turban and unshorn hair and beard, while working as a correctional officer at the Yolo County Sheriff's Office.
Community Leadership Makes a Difference
This victory could not have been possible without the tireless efforts of the California Sikh community, which made numerous trips to the state capitol to testify at hearings and show their support for AB1964. Although the bill was introduced by State Assembly Member Mariko Yamada and sponsored by the Sikh Coalition, the grassroots activism of the California Sikh community during each step of the legislative process made all the difference.
If you know of anyone impacted by AB1964, please contact us at [email protected].
As always, we urge all Sikhs to practice their faith fearlessly.