A legal analyst asserts that the government of California shouldn't intrude on private employers who reasonably accommodate religious employees.
Under legislation signed by Governor Jerry Brown, employers will face more restrictions against discriminating against Sikhs and Muslims who wear religious clothing. The bill, penned by Assemblywoman Mariko Yamada, specifies that employees who wear religious clothing should not have to work in the back of a store or out of public view. AB 1964 will protect by law turbans, beards, headscarves, religious clothing or hairstyles.
Ken Klukowski, fellow and senor legal analyst with the American Civil Rights Union, does not believe this law is necessary.
"I think private employers have tried to accommodate the religious beliefs of their employees in ways that do not impair their ability to serve their customers, and that states should not get involved in second guessing or forcing things upon employers where the employer is making a good-faith effort to accommodate," he tells OneNewsNow.
AB 1964 may aid a handful of cases, including an incident where a Muslim woman sued Disneyland because she alleges she was fired after refusing to remove her headscarf. Disney asserted that the employee was provided a company-approved scarf.
The measure will take effect in California on January 1.