U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission v. Aviation Port Services, LLC

**The Dispute** Six Muslim women working for Aviation Port Services, LLC requested religious accommodations to wear modest dress at work. Instead of working with them to find a solution, the company fired all six employees. The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) sued the company, claiming it illegally discriminated against the workers based on their religion and retaliated against them for requesting accommodations. **The Court's Decision** The court ruled in favor of the EEOC and the fired workers. Aviation Port Services lost the case by default judgment, meaning they failed to properly defend themselves in court. The judge awarded over $1 million in damages to compensate the women for lost wages and other harm they suffered from being wrongfully terminated. **What This Means for Workers** This case reinforces that employers must make reasonable efforts to accommodate workers' religious practices, including dress requirements. Companies cannot simply fire employees for requesting religious accommodations. If an employer discriminates against you based on religion or retaliates for requesting accommodations, you have legal protections. The substantial damages awarded show courts take these violations seriously and will hold employers accountable for breaking federal anti-discrimination laws.