Charlotte Business Jounral

NORTH CAROLINA -- The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has filed suit against Charlotte-based Belk Inc., claiming the company’s store in Raleigh’s Crabtree Valley Mall discriminated against an employee based on her religion.

The commission filed the suit Thursday in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina. In its claim, the commission says Belk fired employee Myra Jones-Abid for refusing to wear a Santa hat and apron, as required by Belk, while working in the store’s gift-wrap section.

Jones-Abid is a Jehovah’s Witness, a religion that prohibits celebrating holidays, including birthdays and Christmas.

Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits discriminating against individuals because of their religion.

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