A Muslim college student who worked at a Hollister clothing store at the Hillsdale mall in San Mateo told KTVU Wednesday that she was fired because she wore a traditional head scarf or hijab.
Hani Khan said the store’s human resources department told her she did not fit the company’s “look policy.”
“The lady told me that my hijab was not in compliance with the ‘look policy’ and that they don’t wear any scarves or hats while working,” said Khan. “I told her it was for religious reasons and again she stated it was against their ‘look’ policy.’”
The 19-year-old Khan of Foster City is originally from New York. She said she has worn the hijab since kindergarten.
She started working part-time in the stock room of the Hollister store in October.
Khan said when she interviewed for the job she wore the headscarf and was told it was okay as long as she wore company colors.Khan said she wore only white, gray or navy blue headscarves to stay in compliance with the company’s policy.
This month, a district manager came to the store and Khan said she was told if she continued to wear the hijab, she would be let go. She was fired on Monday.
“I’m really surprised and shocked, especially living in the Bay Area where everyone is so tolerant,” said Khan. "[There’s] such a great diversity of people here that this would be such an issue now. It wasn’t an issue before so why bring it up now?”
Hollister’s parent company is Abercrombie and Fitch. The retail chain did not return calls from KTVU for comment.
Five years ago, Abercrombie and Fitch settled a $40 million class action racial discrimination lawsuit after minority employees charged the company favored whites in hiring. In the settlement, the company agreed to setup an office of diversity.
Khan has her own opinion on the company’s diversity policy.
“I want them to look at their own diversity policy that they have on their Web site and act upon it,” explained Khan. “America is such a melting pot. There is a great diversity of people. There’s a huge Muslim population here and to discriminate against one obviously and blatantly...It’s not right.”
Khan is planning to file a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.