The House the Mouse built is currently up to its ears in controversy. Last week it was reported the Disney Corporation would not allow one of its workers to wear her hijab (head scarf) while working with the public at its StoryTellers Cafe. Small world indeed.

According to the Associated Press, Disney employee Imane Boudlal, 26, filed a complaint regarding the alleged religious discrimination with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. According to Boudlal, when she wore her hijab to work, she was told by her supervisor to remove it, work out of the public eye or go home. She opted to leave work several days running.

A report on August 23 by the LA Weekly updates the story. According to the paper, Boudlal has been presented with a costuming alternative which appears to be a scarf with a some sort of bowler hat attached. According to Disney, Boudlal has rejected all of the alternatives she has been offered. In an additional report, Boudlal told the AP she found the hat/scarf combo ’embarrassing and makes a joke of her religion.'

If you would like to blame a cartoon character for this messy situation, you may point a finger at Uncle Sam. According to the AP, Boudlal, who was born in Morocco, is applying for citizenship. She only realized she had a right to expect her employers would reasonably accommodate her religious beliefs or practices, unless doing so would cause the company undue hardship, when she began studying for her citizenship exam this past June. Those civil rights can really get in the way of a good costume.

Negotiations between Disney and Boudlal continue. Meanwhile, please sing along:

theres so much that we sharethat its time we’re awareits a small world after all

Relegated Resources:

  • Woman Files Complaint Against Disney Over Right to Wear Hijab (FoxNews)
  • Filing a Discrimination Charge with the EEOC (FindLaw)
  • Facts about Religious Discrimination (FindLaw)
  • Strategies to Enforce your Rights (FindLaw)
  • How the Push for Religious Accommodation Can Go Too Far: Two Important Recent Examples (FindLaw’s Writ)

You Don’t Have To Solve This on Your Own – Get a Lawyer’s Help

Civil Rights

Block on Trump’s Asylum Ban Upheld by Supreme Court

Criminal

Judges Can Release Secret Grand Jury Records

Politicians Can’t Block Voters on Facebook, Court Rules