Abercrombie and Fitch Ban on Headscarves Ruled Illegal

Ruled discriminatory against Muslim employees

Hip clothing retailer Abercrombie & Fitch, under fire for years for its policies restricting Muslim employees from wearing religious headscarves, violated the civil rights of a former employee at one of the company's Bay Area stores, a federal judge has ruled.

In a recent ruling, U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers found that Abercrombie violated anti-discrimination laws when it fired Hani Khan from her job at a Hollister store in 2010 for refusing to remove her hijab on the job.

With a Sept. 30 trial date looming, the judge's decision also exposes Abercrombie to the possibility of hefty punitive damages, concluding "reasonable jurors" could find such damages are warranted.