Head Scarves Before the Supreme Court; New York Times, 6/2/15

Editorial Board, New York Times; Head Scarves Before the Supreme Court:

"Abercrombie has since relaxed its dress policy and said it now grants requests for religious accommodations, including the wearing of hijabs. But the company’s claim of ignorance about Ms. Elauf’s reason for wearing her head scarf is hard to believe. If it truly did not know why she wore her head scarf, it could have asked her whether its dress policy would pose any problems for her, and made an accommodation for her at the time. Instead, it has litigated this case for seven years. All along, Ms. Elauf has felt “disrespected because of my religious beliefs,” as she testified during the trial. “I was born in the United States, and I thought I was the same as everyone else.” That goes equally for members of other religions, like Sikhism, who often face discrimination for turbans and beards that are in accordance with their beliefs.

The nearly unanimous ruling is a common-sense reading of the Civil Rights Act, and a good reminder for employers that the best policy is one of inclusiveness and accommodation."