Abercrombie Unveiled
Jose Lopez May 11, 2015
Summary
Samantha Elauf, woman of the Muslim faith, was discriminated against at the store Abercrombie & Fitch because she was wearing a "hijab", she should be allowed to wear it in the workplace because it is part of her religious belief but the employer told her that it didn't "fit the dress code". Samantha went to the Supreme Court and was given $20,000 for damages, since then Abercrombie has added a new policy that allows "head scarves" for religious reasons.
Samantha Elauf
A Hijab is a veil that covers the head and chest, which is particularly worn by some Muslim women beyond the age of puberty in the presence of adult males outside of their immediate family.
Supporting Details
- Abercrombie paid $40 million to settle a lawsuit brought by black, Hispanic, and Asian groups who also claimed discrimination against the employers.
- A jury sided with Samantha and awarded her $20,000 for "damages.
- 3,800 individuals have filed complaints with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (E.E.OC. in 2012, more than 20% were Muslim.
- Abercrombie changed their "dress code policy" to accommodate these individuals that wear "head scarves" for religious purposes.
Real-World Application
Discrimination is a big part of life that most have to deal with so harshly on a daily basis, we must learn that everyone is the same, we are all just trying to find our own place in the world, different religions and ethnicities and cultural backgrounds affect the way we interact with others. Be kind, be understanding, be human.