Seems like Hijab stories won’t be ending anytime soon. Once again a girl is fired for wearing a Hijab. This time, I don’t personally know the girl the way I did in Hollywood Video case.
A Hijab (head scarf) wearing stock room worker was hired in San Mateo, California to work at a subsidiary of Abercrombie and Fitch (Hollister). Jobs are hard to come by these days so I guess she must have been really happy. She was initially told that she could wear the Hijab if it was in a color that matched the company’s brand identity.
One unfortunate day, district manager saw her working at the store and asked her to leave immediately. She was later asked to remove the Hijab or face termination, she chose the later. Their argument was that a religious head scarf is like wearing a hat and that doesn’t comply with the company image.
Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits employers from discriminating against individuals because of their religion in hiring, firing and other terms and conditions of employment. The act also requires employers to reasonably accommodate the religious practices of an employee, unless doing so would create an “undue hardship” for the employer.
The real sad part is that once again this is happening in the Bay Area, the most diverse community in the entire country.
Similar case sprung in Tulsa, OK where once again the company that discriminated was Abercrombie & Fitch.
