Equal Employment Opportunity Commission v. Abercrombie & Fitch Stores, Inc.

**What Happened:** Samantha Elauf, a Muslim teenager, applied for a job at Abercrombie & Fitch while wearing a headscarf as part of her religious practice. The company didn't hire her because her headscarf violated their "Look Policy" - strict appearance rules for employees. Elauf never explicitly told the interviewer she needed a religious accommodation, but the manager assumed the headscarf was for religious reasons. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) sued the company on Elauf's behalf, claiming religious discrimination. **What the Court Decided:** The court ruled in favor of the EEOC and Elauf. The judge found that Abercrombie & Fitch illegally discriminated based on religion when they refused to hire her because of her headscarf. The court determined that employers cannot reject job applicants because of religious practices, even if those practices conflict with company dress codes. **Why This Matters for Workers:** This ruling strengthens protection for workers who need religious accommodations. Employers must try to work with employees' religious practices, including clothing or appearance requirements, unless it would cause significant hardship for the business. Workers don't necessarily have to explicitly request accommodations during interviews - employers have a duty to avoid obvious religious discrimination.