The ruling of U.S. District Court Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers that Abercrombie & Fitch Stores Co. unjustly fired a Muslim employee for wearing her hijab head scarf to work could be used as precedent for future cases involving religious attire and a store's branding.
The judge ruled in favor of fired employee Umme Hani-Khan, who filed a religious discrimination complaint against the clothing company with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission after being fired in 2011.
Abercrombie & Fitch stores have faced complaints from Muslim workers in the past, although the company maintains that employees represent "living advertisements" and the dress code is essential for brand development.
Other religious dress code complaints have been filed by Jewish workers wearing yarmulkes, Sikh workers wearing turbans and beards and Pentecostal Christian women's modest attire. In future cases, this ruling could be cited to justify an employee's claim of religious discrimination in the workplace.
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