Failure to wear revealing dresses costs 6 Muslim women their jobs in US

New Jersey Telegraph (ANI) Thursday 29th May, 2008

Washington, May 29 : A food packaging company has terminated the services of six Muslim women, after they refused to wear tight-fitting pants and revealing tops, which was against their strict religious beliefs.

The "Mission Foods" of New Brighton in Minnesota sacked the six female workers after a new manager implemented a dress code that did not accommodate the Muslim women, whose religious beliefs prohibits them from wearing tight or revealing clothing, reported the Daily Times.

However, the nationality of the fired women couldn't be known.

According to the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Minnesota Human Rights Act requires employers to reasonably accommodate the religious practices of their employees unless an "undue hardship" would prevent them from doing so.

But, the company, which produces Mexican tortillas and chips, cited safety concerns in implementing the new dress code.

The CAIR said all six Muslim women were packagers stationed at tables, and did not work on a conveyor belt. No safety issues had emerged regarding their Muslim attire in the last two years that the women have been employed at the company. "We are certain that a resolution can be reached that is satisfactory to both the employees and the employer," said CAIR's local civil rights co-ordinator Taneeza Islam.

The company's new management implemented the new uniform policy in February 2008 and accommodated the women initially by allowing them to wear laboratory coats, but then changed its mind in April.