CAIR-Washington State

(SEATTLE, WA, 12/31/2011) -- A prominent national Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization said tonight that it is "deeply troubled" that the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) was signed into law today.

The Washington-based Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) said the legislation will forever be seen as a "stain on our nation's history" because it authorizes the military to arrest and indefinitely detain American citizens suspected of terrorism without charge or trial.

The National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) was passed by the Senate today after being passed in the House of the Representatives yesterday. The NDAA FY2012 is now on its way to the White House where, yesterday the Obama administration disclosed that the president would not veto the legislation, contradicting his stance from a month earlier.

In early August, 2011, CAIR-WA received a call from an employee of a valet parking company in the Seattle area, requesting assistance in getting time off for Jum'ah, or Friday prayer.

The employee had been working with the same valet company for four years and had previously been accommodated for Friday prayer by getting a one hour break Friday afternoons. However, in 2010, a new supervisor was appointed. The new supervisor allowed the employee to take one hour off on Fridays until May 2011, when the valet company was especially busy. From May to August 2011, the employee had not been given any time off for prayer on Friday afternoons and thus, was forced to skip congregational prayers.

In a swift and victorious case, an employee of a public school district in Washington state was allowed to take three weeks off for Hajj, after CAIR-WA intervened.

The employee contacted CAIR-WA after verbally discussing vacation leave with his employer, who was not sympathetic or accommodating. .After contacting CAIR-WA and completing the intake process with Civil Rights Coordinator Jennifer Gist the employee was encouraged to submit a written request to his employer emphasizing the religious importance of Hajj.