School of Public Health graduate student Tahira Juma and her husband Saleem Al-Khabori are being sued by their former nanny, Naseem Siraj, who is accusing the two of “human trafficking and modern day slavery,” according to a lawsuit filed last Wednesday.
The complaint, filed by Siraj’s lawyers, suggests that the defendants “mistreated Mrs. Siraj, subjected her to deplorable working conditions and paid her only slave wages.”
As a result, Siraj is suing for $250,000 in punitive damages and $150,000 in back pay and unpaid overtime, as well as “such other relief as the court deems just and proper,” the complaint reads.
There are 13 official counts being brought against Juma and Al-Khabori, including the denial of constitutional civil rights, intentional infliction of emotional distress and false imprisonment.
According to the complaint, poverty forced Siraj to leave her three children and husband in her native India to work for Juma and Al-Khabori in Oman, which was a way to provide her family a source of income.
One day, after returning to Oman from an occasional visit to her family (paid for by Juma and Al-Khabori), the defendants informed Siraj that they would be moving to the United States so Juma could earn a specialized medical degree from BU. Although Siraj was reluctant, the complaint states that Juma and her husband threatened to strand Siraj in Oman without money if she did not travel with them and continue her service.
The complaint also claims that while in the United States, not only did the defendants force Siraj to do excessive work, but they “denied Mrs. Siraj time off and allowed their children to abuse her,” including one alleged incident of the eldest child hitting Siraj with a bat.
Lawyers from both sides declined to comment on the case and prosecutor Richard Mann, one of three lawyers representing Siraj, declined to allow Siraj to comment. He said the complaints filed by his client speak for themselves.
Despite Siraj’s claims that she earned less than $3 per day, her lawyers refused to disclose whether they are offering their services pro bono, or free.
The consul general of the Embassy of the Sultanate of Oman in Washington, D.C., who declined to give his name, said he doubted Siraj’s story and saw it as an exploitation of the generosity of Juma and Al-Khabori.
“I find [Siraj’s charges] incredible,” he said. “It’s not part of our culture to do that. We’re supposed to be kind to the people we hire.”
The consul general also added that when foreigners like Siraj are brought to the United States, “they will find any excuse to remain here.”
“Most people from the Indian subcontinent will give their right arm to come to the United States,” he said. “She’s getting free rent, free shelter and free meals. There might be an ulterior motive [to her lawsuit].”
The consul general said he was outraged at the Boston Herald’s article about Siraj’s plight, calling it “tabloid stuff” and adding that the story was one-sided and “smack[ed] of yellow journalism.”
BU offered no official comment on the issue.
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