Publix, EEOC Reach Settlement in Discrimination Lawsuit

Publix Super Markets has agreed to settle a religious discrimination lawsuit brought by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission that stemmed from a dispute over the chain’s employee grooming policy.

The EEOC filed suit over the dispute nearly four years ago, alleging the retailer hired a worker for its Harding Pike store in Nashville but refused to accommodate the dreadlocks the worker wore in accordance with his sincerely held religious belief in Rastafarianism, in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

According to the suit, the worker, Guy Usher, was hired but told he would be required to cut his dreadlocks to shoulder length in order to work there. Usher told the store manager he could not cut his hair because of his religion and asked if he could wear his hair in a hat. Management refused to allow the hat or any other reasonable accommodation, and he was forced to quit before his first day of work, the EEOC said.

Publix, based in Lakeland, Fla., is known for stringent worker grooming standards, although the company has relaxed some of those in recent years.

Court filings show Publix agreed to a $50,000 settlement but denied the EEOC’s allegations and denied it violated Usher’s federally protected rights. It claims its entry into the settlement is not an admission of liability, wrongdoing or fault.

In addition to the monetary relief, the two-year settlement requires Publix to consider applicants’ requests for religious accommodations; reasonably accommodate qualified employees or applicants whose religious beliefs conflict with Publix’s grooming standards. Publix is also required to provide training on its nondiscrimination and religious accommodation policy to all human resource employees, managers and supervisors at the Nashville store within 120 days.