Equal Emp't Opportunity Comm'n v. Abercrombie & Fitch Stores, Inc.

What Happened
A Muslim woman applied for a job at Abercrombie & Fitch while wearing a headscarf as part of her religious practice. The company didn't hire her, assuming her headscarf would violate their strict dress code policy that required employees to maintain a specific "look." The woman never explicitly asked for a religious accommodation during her interview, but the company suspected she wore the headscarf for religious reasons.

What the Court Decided
The Supreme Court ruled in favor of the job applicant. The Court said that employers cannot refuse to hire someone because they might need a religious accommodation in the future. Companies don't have to wait for employees to specifically request religious accommodations—if an employer suspects someone's religious practice might conflict with workplace policies, they must try to find reasonable ways to accommodate that practice unless it would cause significant hardship.

Why This Matters for Workers
This decision strengthens religious protections in the workplace. Workers don't have to explicitly mention their religious needs during job interviews to be protected from discrimination. Employers must be proactive about accommodating religious practices like head coverings, prayer breaks, or religious holidays, making workplaces more inclusive for people of all faiths.