CAIR: Texas Medical Group Denies Muslim Doctor Right to Hijab

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

WASHINGTON, Oct. 30 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- 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:

"Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits employers from
discriminating against individuals because of their religion in hiring,
firing, and other terms and conditions of employment. The Act also requires
employers to reasonably accommodate the religious practices of an employee,
unless to do so would create an undue hardship upon the employer. CAIR has
reviewed the facts of this case and determined that CareNow's staff did not
make an exemption to the 'no-hat policy' to accommodate [the applicant's]
religious practices, and thus is in direct violation of Title VII."

CAIR is asking CareNow to 1) offer the Muslim applicant a position for which
she is qualified and to allow her to wear her Islamic head scarf, 2) provide
the applicant with a formal written apology, 3) clarify CareNow's policy on
religious accommodation issues and allow a religious exemption to the "no-hat"
policy, 4) institute workplace sensitivity and diversity training for staff,
and 5) compensate the Muslim applicant for the emotional distress she has
suffered as a result of the discrimination.

CAIR offers a booklet, "An Employer's Guide to Islamic Religious Practices,"
designed to help prevent such incidents.

SEE: An Employer's Guide To Islamic Religious Practices
http://www.cair.com/Portals/0/pdf/employment_guide.pdf

CAIR is America's largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization.
Its mission is to enhance the understanding of Islam, encourage dialogue,
protect civil liberties, empower American Muslims, and build coalitions that
promote justice and mutual understanding.

CONTACT: CAIR Civil Rights Manager Khadija Athman, 202-646-6033; CAIR National
Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202-488-8787 or 202-744-7726, E-Mail:
ihooper@cair.com; CAIR Communications Coordinator Amina Rubin, 202-488-8787 or
202-341-4171, E-Mail: arubin@cair.com

SOURCE Council on American-Islamic Relations

Khadija Athman, CAIR Civil Rights Manager, +1-202-646-6033, Ibrahim Hooper,
CAIR National Communications Director, +1-202-488-8787, or +1-202-744-7726,
ihooper@cair.com, or Amina Rubin, CAIR Communications Coordinator,
+1-202-488-8787, or +1-202-341-4171, arubin@cair.com