US: Chipotle manager rips off employee's Hijab, sparks legal firestorm

In a legal showdown, a US federal agency has taken restaurant giant Chipotle to court, leveling accusations of religious harassment centred on a shocking incident at a Kansas branch in US state of Missouri. The manager reportedly forcibly removed an employee's hijab, a headscarf worn by Muslim women, media reports said.

The lawsuit was filed by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), a US agency responsible for enforcing and administering federal laws that prohibit discrimination in employment. It also checks for any sort of harassment in the workplace.

The lawsuit alleged that in 2021, an assistant manager at a Chipotle branch in Lenexa, Kansas, repeatedly harassed the employee by demanding that she reveal her hair, despite her repeated refusals. The situation escalated over several weeks until the manager physically grabbed and partially removed her hijab.

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The EEOC's complaint asserted that the manager's persistent and "offensive" requests for the employee to remove her hijab, along with his attempt to forcibly remove it, created a "hostile" working environment based on religion. The agency further argued that these actions were "unwelcome, intentional, and severe", all of which are in violation of federal anti-discrimination laws.

Chipotle's response

Laurie Schalow, Chipotle's chief corporate affairs officer, responded to the lawsuit by stating that the company encourages employees to report concerns, including through an anonymous hotline. “We have a zero-tolerance policy for discrimination of any kind and we have terminated the employee in question,” she reportedly said in an email.

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The harassment began in July 2021 when the manager repeatedly asked the 19-year-old employee to remove her hijab, expressing a desire to see her hair.

According to the complaint, he made this demand at least 10 times over a month, with the employee consistently refusing on the grounds of her religious beliefs. Although the employee reported her discomfort to another supervisor, no further action was taken against the manager, as per the complaint.

Employee's resignation

The most distressing incident occurred in August 2021 when the manager allegedly reached out and partially pulled off the employee's hijab. Following this ugly experience, the employee gave her two weeks' notice.

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However, Chipotle did not schedule her for any shifts during this notice period. This was unlike other non-Muslim employees who continued to be scheduled for work during their notice periods, as claimed in the lawsuit.

The lawsuit, filed by the EEOC, further said that Chipotle violated federal civil rights laws protecting employees and job applicants from discrimination based on religion, race, ethnicity, sex, and national origin.

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