Abercrombie & Fitch has not made it a secret that the company prefers a particular type of clientele. That same attitude seems to have spilled over into their business practices as well. The clothing company is being accused of employment discrimination. Information from prior employees of the company confirms that several such cases have occurred nationwide, including Indiana.
One female employee was told to remove a necklace with a small cross that she was wearing when she reported to work. She removed the necklace and placed it in her pocket. The company said that it was not in line with their dress code. While it could not be labeled as gender discrimination, religious discrimination is also viewed as unconstitutional.
Another employee sued Abercrombie & Fitch in 2010 after she was fired for wearing a hijab to work. She claims to have worn the religious garb from the day of her interview until the day that she was fired four months later. There have been three cases against the company in as many years for not hiring or firing women who wore the same type of headwear. Each of the judges ruled against the clothing company for violating federal workplace guidelines.
Each of the women in these cases might be entitled to compensation. Employment litigation could bring judgement against the company who has previously been found guilty of disregarding parts of the Fair Labor Act. An attorney might be able to help their client get reinstated as an employee or garner financial compensation for the loss of wages.
Source: Huffington Post, “Abercrombie Dress Code Enables Discrimination, Insiders Say“, Kim Bhasin and Caroline Fairchild, September 18, 2013