A Sikh man fired from his federal security job for refusing to shave his beard and remove his turban has reached an agreement with the Department of Homeland Security.
As part of the settlement, the federal government paid [Raghbir] Singh $50,000 in damages for wrongful termination, court records show.
The federal government also changed its grooming policy to accommodate religious beliefs, said San Francisco attorney Khari Tillery, who represented Singh pro bono along with the Sikh Coalition and Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights.
"Beyond monetary recognition, we're pleased the government recognized the need to edit its policies to accommodate for religious differences," Tillery said.
Singh, a 69-year-old former decorated soldier in the Indian Army before becoming a naturalized American citizen, added "The Constitution of this country is great."
