Taco Bell Employee Fired for Refusing Haircut Gets EEOC to Take His Case
Christopher Abbey says he’s a member of the Nazirites, a religious group whose teaching forbids haircuts, and that he was wrongfully fired from Taco Bell due to his long locks. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission agrees, the Associated Press reports, and on July 28 sued the fast food franchisee that employed Abbey.
According to an EEOC press release, Abbey had not cut his hair in more than 10 years when last year, a Family Foods Inc. representative allegedly told Abbey that his hair length didn’t meet their grooming standards, and he would be fired if he did not comply with them. The Title VII case, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina, seeks back pay, reinstatement, compensatory damages and punitive damages for Abbey, as well as injunctive relief. He started working at the restaurant in 2004.
Topics: Career & Practice
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