Belk Settles Religious Accommodation Suit Filed By EEOC

A settlement has been reached between the EEOC and Belk, Inc. in a lawsuit brought by the EEOC charging Belk with failing to accommodate the religious beliefs of a Jehovah's Witness employee in its Raleigh, North Carolina store.  (EEOC press release.) Employee Myra Jones-Abid was fired when she refused to wear a Santa hat and apron because her religious beliefs bar her from recognizing holidays. Under the settlement, Belk will pay Jones-Abid $55,000 in damages and will provide annual training on religious discrimination to managers at the store involved. It will also post a notice at the store on employees' rights and report to the EEOC on its responses to employee requests for religion accommodation.