Supreme court to rule on Abercrombie & Fitch 'religious bias' over hijab

[rug]

•Headscarf-wearing Muslim woman was denied sales job
•Equal Employment Opportunity Commission sues retailer



Abercrombie & Fitch is alleged to have illegally discriminated against a job applicant on the grounds of religion. Photograph: Tim Boyle/Getty Images

Jessica Glenza in New York
theguardian.com, Thursday 2 October 2014 13.36 EDT

The US supreme court has agreed to hear a case accusing the American clothing retailer Abercrombie & Fitch of refusing to hire a Muslim woman who wore a headscarf.

The suit, brought by the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, alleges that Samantha Elauf was not hired because she wore a headscarf that would have required a religious exemption from the company’s “look policy”.

Elauf interviewed at the company’s Abercrombie Kids store in Tulsa, Oklahoma, in 2008 for a position as a “model”, the equivalent of a part-time sales worker, when she was 17. The hiring manager, Heather Cooke, 23, interviewed Elauf and initially gave her a score that recommended hiring her.

Elauf wore a black hijab during her interview. She is a practising Muslim who has worn a hijab since she was 13 years old.

http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2014/oct/02/supreme-court-abercrombie-fitch-hijab-religious-bias-muslim-headscarf

[cbayer]

1. Good. I hope they find in her favor.

Frankly, I think she would be an asset with the crowd that shops there. They consider themselves very hip, in general.

But not surprised that the company has a "look policy", which i think is legal, right?