Companies often have specific dress or grooming standards employees need to follow, either for safety or appearance reasons. But what happens when a new hire says he can’t follow the rules because of his religion?
That issue came up in a recent lawsuit brought by a group of Washington, D.C., firefighters. All firefighters were required to be clean shaven to ensure their respirator masks fit properly.
Firefighters used the respirators to breathe when a fire created a lack of oxygen. To work properly, the devices must fit tightly against the skin; any gaps caused by facial hair could disrupt the supply of clean air.
Several firefighters who wore beards for religious reasons refused to shave and asked for an exemption from the policy. The department refused.
So the employees sued, claiming they were unfairly denied a religious accommodation. The fire department countered that the policy was necessary to keep employees safe.
The problem: Two types of respirators were used, depending on the situation. Only one posed a safety risk for bearded employees.
The court ruled the firefighters with facial hair could reasonably have been deployed only where they could use the other respirator. Therefore, it was possible to exempt them from the policy.
Cite: Potter v. District of Columbia
