San Francisco, USA - A college student is suing Abercrombie & Fitch saying her civil rights were violated.
Hani Kahn said she was let go from the company because she refused to take off her head scarf. She believes that is religious discrimination.
Kahn worked behind the scenes in a Hollister store stock room for four months. She wore a head scarf, called a Hijab, every day until she was fired for refusing to remove it.
"Growing up in this country where the Bill of Rights guarantees religious freedom, I have felt let down," Kahn said.
The store manager had no problem with it when she was hired for a stockroom job, but four months later a district manager and human resources did.
"No worker should have to choose between their religion and a job," said attorney Araceli Martinez-Olgui.
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) filed a discrimination lawsuit against Abercrombie & Fitch, which owns Hollister.
The Legal Aid Society is joining that suit, asking for Abercrombie to change its policy, saying they violated state and federal civil rights laws.
"Abercrombie prides itself on requiring a natural, classic American style. But there is nothing American about discrimination against someone because of their religion." Martinez-Olgui said.
"We are committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all individuals regardless of race, religion or ethnicity. We comply with the law regarding reasonable religious accommodation," Abercrombie said in a statement.
Khan said she's received death threats since her story went public.
"They came in the form of emails, and they were sent directly to the CAIR office, they weren't personally sent to me. They talked about decapitating my head and wrapping it around a pigskin and burying it," she said.
This is the latest in a series of discrimination suits against Abercrombie & Fitch. A federal class action discrimination suit brought by minority employees and job applicants was settled for $40 million in 2004.