Equal Employment Opportunity Commission v. Abercrombie & Fitch Stores, Inc.
United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit
731 F.3d 1106 (2013)
Samantha Elauf, a Muslim applicant for a Model position at Abercrombie & Fitch (defendant), wore a black headscarf to her interview; the interviewing manager assumed the headscarf reflected her religion but never discussed it with her, and Elauf never told the manager she wore it for religious reasons or that she needed an accommodation from the company's Look Policy barring caps. Abercrombie declined to hire her because the headscarf violated the Look Policy, and the EEOC (plaintiff) sued on her behalf; the district court granted the EEOC summary judgment.
Whether, under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, the need for a reasonable accommodation of an employee's religious practice is triggered if the employee has not informed the employer that his or her religious beliefs conflict with a job requirement.