Written by Don Byrd
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) continued its aggressive enforcement of workplace religious anti-discrimination laws with the announcement of a new lawsuit against United Parcel Service (UPS). The EEOC claims UPS’ refusal to offer religious accommodation to employees and applicants from its policy regarding beards and hair length violates federal law.
Here is an excerpt from the EEOC press release:
For instance, a Muslim who applied for a driver helper position in Rochester, N.Y., who wears a beard as part of his religious observance, was told he had to shave to get the position. He was also told, “God would understand” if he shaved his beard to get a job and that he could apply for a lower-paying job if he wanted to keep his beard. Muslims and Christians at other facilities were forced to shave their beards in violation of their religious beliefs while they waited months or years for UPS to act on their requests for religious accommodation.
Similarly, a Rastafarian part-time load supervisor in Fort Lauderdale, who does not cut his hair as part of his religious beliefs, asked for an accommodation of the appearance policy. His manager told him he did not “want any employees looking like women on (his) management team.” Rastafarians in other parts of the country were denied positions or waited years for their requests for accommodation to be granted so they could finally get the position they sought.
Meanwhile, the EEOC announced a settlement with a Dunkin Donuts franchisee. Citi Brands agreed to pay $22,000 for revoking an applicant’s employment after discovering his religious beliefs as a Seventh-Day Adventist forbid him from working between sunset Friday and sunset Saturday.
Religious freedom in the workplace means not being forced to choose between one’s faith and one’s livelihood. Kudos to the EEOC for defending this essential principle.
