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

Most religious bias complaints arise from a current employee being denied an accommodation, such as time off for a religious service.

But, as the EEOC remind employers in a new Compliance Manual, the duty to accommodate applies to job applicants, too.

Take this example: A company gives a test as part of its hiring process. The tests are only given at certain times each week. If an applicant can’t make a scheduled test for a religious reason, the company would have to make some kind of change as an accommodation.

Interview questions

Also, the EEOC says, companies are barred from asking applicants if they’ll need any time off or other accommodations once they’re hired.

What can you do? Just make sure applicants understand the schedule they’ll have to work and ask if there will be any problems.

Read the entire Compliance Manual here.

A man applied for a job at Disney World playing trumpet in the park’s annual Christmas show. As a practicioner of the Sikh religion, he was required to wear a Turbin and keep a full beard.

He was turned down for the job and told he didn’t have “the Disney look.” So he filed a lawsuit, claiming religious discrimination.

Experts aren’t sure what chance Disney has of fighting the suit. On one hand, the company might have a case if it can show he couldn’t have been hired because he was unable to follow the position’s strict uniform guidelines.

But on the other hand, commenting on an applicant’s “look” is rarely a good idea. We’ll keep you posted as the case moves forward.