Monday, June 1, 2015

High Court:Abercrombie & Fitch Discriminated; Didn't Hire Muslim Woman Due to Head Scarf

A Muslim woman -- who was turned down for a job at Abercrombie & Fitch in 2008 because she wore a hijab during an interview -- scored a major victory today (June 1, 2015) after the Supreme Court ruled that companies can't discriminate against job applicants or employees for religious reasons, the Alternet website reports.

Justices did not buy Abercrombie & Fitch's argument that Samantha Elauf was turned down because of her head scarf and not for her faith.

When Elauf -- who was 17 at the time -- interviewed for a job wearing a black hijab, she did not tell her employer that she was a Muslim and the interviewer did not ask about her religion.

Justice Antonin Scalia wrote in the 8-1 decision that even if the preppy clothing store wasn't aware of Samantha Elauf's religion, it still influenced their decision not to hire her. The only justice to dissent was Clarence Thomas, who wrote that the company's "neutral look policy" cannot constitute intentional discrimination.

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