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A 19-year-old Herndon woman has filed a complaint with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission alleging she was fired from her Air France job at Dulles International Airport because she refused to remove her religious head scarf.

Riham Osman, a 2009 Westfield High School graduate, is a junior at the University of Mary Washington. She is a practicing Muslim who wears a head scarf, or hijab, as a symbol of her faith.

Osman is home from school for the summer.

Last month, she was hired by local staffing agency Aerotek to work as a passenger service agent for Air France.

On her first day of work, during a training session, Osman said she was pulled aside by an Air France supervisor and was told to contact Aerotek.

“They told me that my hijab violated the Air France uniform policy and that I would have to remove it if I wanted to work for them,” she said. “I was in shock. I was so upset that I started crying, and I never normally do that.”

In a prepared statement, Aerotek responded to Osman’s allegations: “When this issue was brought to Aerotek’s attention, we encouraged Air France to make an exception to its dress code policy based on customary U.S. nondiscrimination policies and laws, and provide a reasonable accommodation to allow our contract employee to remain in her position while wearing her hijab, a customary Muslim head covering.”

Rizwan Jaka, director of the ADAMS Center Mosque in Sterling, said he was contacted by Osman and provided her with a letter explaining the religious significance of the hijab. He said such letters are a “common request” that the center receives.

“A head covering is rooted in many religions,” he added. “Sikhs wear turbans, those in the Jewish faith wear yarmulkes and Catholic nuns wear habits. Even the Amish wear head coverings. In every depiction of the Virgin Mary that I have ever seen, she is wearing a head covering.”

In its statement, Aerotek said, “Air France declined to make this accommodation and instructed us to end her assignment at Air France.”

Aerotek also said they subsequently offered Osman two comparable assignments, including an internal position with Aerotek, but that she declined both offers.

Instead, Osman contacted the Council on American-Islamic Relations, which deals with allegations of discrimination against Muslims.

A spokesman for CAIR, Ibrahim Hooper, said he is aware Air France is a French company and that controversial new laws there might allow for a dress code policy that discriminates based on religion, but that this is America.

“Our position is that no company doing business in America has the obligation to enforce discriminatory foreign policies on American employees,” he said. “A discriminatory dress code implemented in France does not supersede American laws protecting the religious rights of American citizens.”

Hooper said CAIR sent a letter to Air France on Osman’s behalf, asking for reinstatement of her position and the granting of her legal rights to wear her hajib while working there. Osman also contacted the EEOC to gain approval for legal action to be implemented against Air France, Hooper said.

“In the case of workplace lawsuits, the EEOC has to give you approval or a ‘right to sue’ before you can proceed,” he said. “Based on our initial contact with Air France, I am not too confident that they will make an exception for Riham. I think a lawsuit is more likely at this point.”

The EEOC did not return calls about the case.

An Air France representative in New York confirmed the airline had received CAIR’s letter, but would only say the company is investigating the issue, that the airline is “committed to EEOC policies concerning diversity” and the airline “complies with all appropriate human rights and discrimination laws.”

Osman said Wednesday that before this alleged incident she never has experienced discrimination because of her head covering. She said she did not begin wearing it until two years ago, and did not wear it as a student at Westfield High School.

“I was never very religious before, but when I came to college, I became involved with the Muslim community at my university and I started becoming more religious, and closer to new, more religious friends. I started getting farther and farther away from my old friends and I just made the decision that I would begin practicing my religion in the way that I am obligated.”

Osman said she is seeking an apology and financial compensation from Air France and wants the airline to change its policies.

“My scarf is my connection to God,” she said. “It’s a sign of my faith and an obligation upon me. It is a very important part of my religion. There is no higher authority than God, and no one can tell me how to display or not display my faith. Air France clearly does not understand U.S. law.”

“It is ironic that while Muslims are being smeared for wanting to upend the constitution and institute sharia law, that we at CAIR are defending American law over foreign intrusion,” Hooper said.

gmacdonald@fairfaxtimes.com