Here are 2 firms who really screwed up religious accommodation requests
The latest legal triumphs for Muslim employees show how pigheadedness regarding religious accommodation requests is an expensive mistake.
From high-profile cases involving Abercrombie & Fitch to lawsuits affecting smaller companies, cases involving complaints from Muslim employees about accommodations have been all over the news lately.
Here are two more cases that should give HR pros in all industries some more guidance on when they should seriously considering accommodating a staffer’s religion:
She wouldn’t take off her head covering
In the first case, Safia Abdullah was hired for a housekeeping position at the MCM Elegante Hotel in Albuquerque, NM.
Abdullah’s religion required her to wear a head covering. The company asked that she remove it. When she refused, she was fired.
Abdullah went to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, which sued on her behalf. The company opted to settle the case for a whopping $100,000.
In addition to the monetary settlement, the hotel’s operating company will also:
- prohibit bias in the future
- institute policies and procedures to address religious discrimination and retaliation
- train employees, managers and HR officials on religious discrimination, and
- post a notice advising employees of their rights under Title VII.