DC Fire Department Must Allow Beards Worn For Religious Reasons

In Potter v. District of Columbia, (D DC, Sept. 28, 2007), the federal district court for D.C. held that under the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, the D.C. fire department may not enforce requirements to be clean-shaven on firefighters and paramedics who wear beards for religious reasons. At the heart of the dispute in the case was the question of the extent to which facial hair interferes with the effective operation of face masks that firemen sometimes need to use for respiratory health and safety. The court concluded that most of the time, firefighters used a self-contained breathing apparatus (with an air tank), and that beards did not pose a problem for these. At issue was whether bearded firefighters could safely use air purifying respirators in which they breathed in outside air. The court held that in the rare case that this was required, a less restrictive mans of accommodating those who wear beards for religious reasons is to reassign them away from duties that require that sort of respiratory system. Friday's Washington Post reported on the case. (See prior related posting.)