'We'll hire you if get a haircut' — religious bias?

Here’s a recent case that shows the importance of interview documentation.
A Rastafarian applied for a job as a security guard. During his interview, the hiring manager told him he’d have to cut his dreadlocks to comply with the company’s safety policy.
That’s where things got tricky. The applicant claims he said he could not cut his hair because of his religious beliefs. But according to the company, he simply said he would not cut his hair.
Either way, the applicant didn’t get the job, and he sued the company for religious discrimination.
The company asked the judge to throw out the case, arguing it didn’t know the man’s refusal to comply with the policy had anything to do with religion. But without a solid set of interview notes from the hiring manager, the court didn’t buy that side of the story.
The case sent to a jury to decide whether religion was discussed in the interview. You know what that means: a long, costly trial, or an expensive settlement.
Cite: Xodus v. The Wackenhut Corporation