Security Company Settles Religious Accommodation Suit Brought By EEOC

The EEOC announced last week that the Philadelphia-based Imperial Security, Inc. has agreed to settle a lawsuit bought against it by the EEOC on behalf of a Muslim woman who was employed as a security guard, but was then told she could not wear her khimar (scarf that covers her head, neck and ears). The employee, Julie Holloway-Russell, objected and was fired. Under the settlement, Imperial Security will pay $50,000 in damages. It also agreed to a 3-year consent decree barring religious discrimination, setting up internal procedures to handle discrimination complaints, appointing an EEO officer, requiring employee training on Title VII and reporting to the EEOC on how complaints are handled.