Muslim civil rights organization says 'no hat' policy must have religious exemption

Published on October 31, 2009 at 1:05 AM · 1 Comment

The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) today called on a major medical group in Texas to change its policy denying accommodation for Muslim employees who wear religious attire such as Islamic head scarves (hijab) or beards.

CAIR said a Muslim doctor being interviewed for a position with CareNow, a medical group with 22 facilities in the Dallas/Fort-Worth area, was told that a "no hat" policy would prohibit her from wearing hijab. She was also reportedly informed that CareNow prohibits employees from wearing beards. (Many Muslim men view wearing a beard as a religious requirement.)

In an e-mail to CareNow's human resources department seeking confirmation of the denial of religious accommodation, the Muslim potential employee wrote:

"Being that I wear a head scarf to cover my hair as part of my religious practice, I felt very discriminated against. I have worked in many places that have a 'no hat' policy, and I have never been confronted with a problem regarding my head scarf. I can't imagine this being an issue with an organization like CareNow. Please confirm if this is really a policy at CareNow."

An e-mail response from CareNow stated that the Muslim doctor had been given the correct information about the medical group's denial of religious accommodation.

In a letter to CareNow, CAIR wrote:

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Serve our Country First

Steve

says:

October 31, 2009 at 9:31 AM

I am a firm beleaver of freedom of religion but, I might add that if you want that right here in America then you have to earn it first. 1. If you were born here then you must serve your contry first, ie-Army etc. 2. If you were not born here you must become a citizen first then serve your country.

Once you have completed the above then you have earned the right to wear your head scarf. Why you ask? Now I will tell you.
I am a Viet Nam veteran who is wheelchair bound for life. I am not Muslim but I have faced religious discrimination before I served my country. But, I no longer face discrimination because I have earned the right to claimm my religious practices etc.

Now before you start claiming your rights you must earn them. You folks start claiming them and you never shed one drop of blood for this great nation and now you want all the rights. Stop by my home and lets talk about your rights. I also live in Texas.

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