Muslim Oak Park employee sues city for alleged hostile work environment

A former records clerk at the City of Oak Park is suing the city, a supervisor and two co-workers for an alleged hostile work environment.

Tammara Saloum, a Muslim woman of Iraqi descent, filed the lawsuit in the Oakland County Circuit Court through the Michigan chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-MI).  

The complaint alleges that Saloum was subjected to discriminatory statements relating to her religious practices, Muslims and sexual harassment, as well as the improper disclosure of sensitive personal information. 

The lawsuit alleges violations of the Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act and the Family and Medical Leave Act, as well as invasion of privacy and defamation.  

CAIR-MI's lead staff attorney Amy V. Doukoure says public institutions must be held accountable for ensuring that discrimination and harassment do not become part of workplace culture.

"Public employees should never have to choose between their livelihood and their right to be treated with dignity and respect," says Doukoure. "When an employee is allegedly subjected to religious hostility, sexual harassment, and the disclosure of deeply private information—and the employer has notice yet fails to take meaningful corrective action—the harm extends beyond one individual," Doukoure adds.

The city responded via email, saying it maintains a zero-tolerance policy for discrimination.

Details of the lawsuit

According to the complaint, Saloum began working as a records clerk for the City of Oak Park around June 2024, processing Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests, gun permits and other records.

In the lawsuit, Saloum sued the city, a former supervisor and two co-workers for:

• Alleged harassment based on religion and national origin, where offensive comments regarding Muslims and people of Middle Eastern origin were allegedly made to her.
• Allegedly subjecting Saloum to harassment in the workplace when her former supervisor allegedly accessed, obtained and disclosed Saloum's confidential history of being a sexual assault victim to a police officer prior to working for the city.
• Alleged retaliation when the city allegedly took employment actions against her, including reducing her work assignments, scheduling her to work without overtime and threatening to deem her continued FMLA leave as job abandonment.
• Alleged defamation, where she claims her co-workers made false, defamatory and offensive sexual statements about her in the workplace.
• Alleged invasion of privacy after her former supervisor allegedly obtained her confidential history of sexual assault through improper means, including possible misuse of a city database, disclosing that information to other city employees and showing Saloum's personnel file, including date of birth, to a third party.

According to Saloum, the city had failed to take corrective action on these counts, which she had reported to HR and management beginning in early May 2025. According to the lawsuit, Saloum had reported the discrimination, harassment and invasion of privacy. The city took no meaningful disciplinary action, according to the lawsuit. 

Additionally, Saloum filed a dual complaint with the Michigan Department of Civil Rights (MCDR) and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, alleging religious discrimination and retaliation. On Feb. 17, 2026, MDCR dismissed the complaint, stating there was "insufficient evidence to proceed."  

According to the lawsuit, Saloum took an FMLA leave beginning Aug. 15, 2025, and continues to require ongoing mental health treatment. 

The City of Oak Park responds

The director of communications and public information at the City of Oak Park, Brittany M. Toth, responded to a CBS News Detroit request for comment via email on behalf of the city, stating that the city takes all allegations regarding privacy, professionalism, workplace conduct and discrimination very seriously.

"The City maintains a zero-tolerance policy for discrimination and expects all employees to adhere to the highest ethical and professional standards," Toth said.

Toth said that the city had previously addressed allegations made by Saloum in the MDCR investigation, in which the MDCR determined there was insufficient evidence and dismissed Saloum's complaint.

"Currently, the City of Oak Park has not been formally served with the lawsuit referenced in your inquiry. Consistent with longstanding policy, the City does not comment on pending litigation. Therefore, the City has no further comment at this time," Toth said.