Can dress codes violate religious beliefs?
Another area in which dress codes have led to discrimination claims is conflict between a dress code requirement and an employee’s personal religious beliefs. Title VII of the Civil Rights Law of 1964 prohibits employment discrimination based on religion. When a dress code requirement conflicts with an employee’s religious beliefs, the employer must carefully examine the situation and accommodate the employee’s religious belief unless the accommodation is an undue hardship for the employer. The courts have upheld an employer’s right to prohibit long skirts and flowing robes in areas where they can present a safety risk, such as on the factory floor. Long beards and flowing hair may also be prohibited where there are public health concerns (e.g., in a food service or preparation environment). On the other hand, employers have been sanctioned for prohibiting the wearing of yarmulkes and other religious items of dress or head covering, religious insignias, and other tokens of faith in the
