A Muslim employee has been allowed by Disney to wear her religious headscarf at work after intervention by the Council on American-Islamic Relations. The woman was hired over the phone by Disney as an intern. When she arrived at Disneyland from Chicago and employers saw her hijab, they told her that she would have to work in a backroom until a new customized uniform could be made.
The woman was told the customized uniform would take a few months to make, which would equal the length of her internship. The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) intervened and after a week of negotiations, Disney has said that the woman can continue in her original position of a vacation planner who interacts with guests.
The dispute is the latest instance where a Muslim woman has complained of religious discrimination for not being allowed to work with the public because she wears a hijab. Disney maintains that their employees who work with the public are performers and they wear costumes to reflect their roles.
The company believes that it has successfully accommodated many employees over the last few years, but CAIR is asking the company to update its company policies to make sure that employees’ right to wear religious clothing is protected.
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Disneyland allows park worker to wear religious scarf at work (Los Angeles Times)