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DALLAS — A physician searching for her first job after finishing her residency at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center was told by officials of the CareNow clinics that she would not be allowed to wear her head scarf on the job.
Dr. Hena Zaki of Plano said Friday that officials of Coppell-based CareNow, which operates 22 clinics in the Metroplex, told in her person and later by e-mail that a company no-hat policy extended to her hijab.Zaki was on a tour of an Allen CareNow clinic two weeks ago when the regional medical director told her he didn’t want her to be surprised about the policy during orientation, Zaki said."He interrupted the interview and said he didn’t want me 'to take this the wrong way’," Zaki said. "Like an FYI."Afterward, Zaki, 29, and her husband, Rehan Zaki, wrote an e-mail to CareNow’s human resources department asking if the company policy really did apply to her hijab and explaining they felt discriminated against. The Zakis said CareNow’s chief medical director sent a short reply affirming the no-scarf policy.In a statement to The Associated Press, CareNow officials said they do not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, religion or national origin in employment decisions."CareNow deeply respects the sincerely held religious beliefs of all its employees," the statement said. "CareNow consistently in the past has accommodated the sincerely held religious beliefs of its employees when the employees’ religious beliefs conflict with company dress code policies."The Council on American-Islamic Relations wrote CareNow this week on Zaki’s behalf pointing out the law requires employers to make reasonable religious accommodations for employees. The Washington-based advocacy group explained to the company that like many Muslim women, Zaki covers her head as a sign of modesty and religious belief.CareNow has not responded to the council’s letter."It’s obvious it’s a blatant violation," said the council’s civil rights manager, Khadija Athman. "It’s a very straightforward case of religious accommodation. I cannot see any undue hardship on the part of the employer to accommodate to wear a head scarf."Council officials say complaints from women about being told to not wear a hijab in the workplace have become rare in recent years, as more employers become informed of their responsibilities under the Civil Rights Act. The law also prevents employers from avoiding religious accommodations because they think the public might not be comfortable with a certain practice, Athman said.Zaki said that she has worn a hajib since age 14 and that this was the first time an employer objected. "It’s not a hat," she said. "It’s not sports memorabilia."Zaki wants an apology and a change in CareNow’s policies to accommodate expressions of religious belief — "whether it be a turban or facial hair."
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