Very few people wake up in the morning and say, “I sure can’t wait to break the law by discriminating against people on the basis of their religion!” But do you want a woman in a full burka , with everything but her eyes covered, sitting at your front desk welcoming customers to your business? What about if she just wears a head scarf?
Abercrombie and Fitch didn’t want a woman in a head scarf working in their stores. It violated their “Look Policy,” they said. After going through several lawsuits, they’ve changed their policy to allow for hijabs. In hindsight, they should have changed the policy before having to shell out large sums of money in a lawsuit. You want to do the same. Here are five things to need to think about that will help you do just that.
To keep reading, click here: Are You Discriminating Based on Religion? You Might Be Surprised
Discrimination is common. In Arab countries, Non-Muslims are discriminated. In few Asian countries, including India, women are discriminated. People are discriminated based on races, region. Physically challenged people are discriminated. It is really a mindset issue.
Sooooo…..a hijab is acceptable, but what about the burka? I once had a manager (white, recently married to a Muslim) show up in the ER in a full burka. The fact that she was certifiably insane may have had something to do with it, but the question stands: a burka seems to be unsuitable for many, if not most, jobs. Is it discriminatory to not allow it?
Why on earth would a full burka be unsuitable for most jobs? Sure, if you’re working with heavy machinery where the flowing dress might get caught, it’s inappropriate. But, if you’re an accountant? A cashier? A secretary? A call center employee? Who cares?
What a coincidence that I ran across this- A&F lost this lawsuit two days ago.