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Dreadlocks Ignite Religious-Bias Suit
New York State Attorney General Eliot Spitzer is filing a lawsuit against Federal Express, charging it should allow Rastafarian (Rastas) employees to wear dreadlocks. Rastas are prohibited from cutting their hair; it should grow naturally into dreadlocks, in the image of the "lion of Judah."
The delivery company, whose policy forbids employees involved in customer contact from wearing braids, ponytails or beards, demanded that several Rasta employees cut their dreadlocks. The men were placed on unpaid leave and later terminated when the company did not find other positions for them.
While religious discrimination-suits are not as widespread as racial ones, last year, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission received 1,940 complaints. Taking their cue from the airlines, Fed Ex is reviewing its dress code to make accommodations for religious employees. American Airlines allows staff to wear turbans, yarmulkes and other religious headdress as part of their uniforms.
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