ORLANDO, Fla. (KRON/AP) – A Sikh American deliveryman at Disney World has won his fight over claims that his turban and uncut beard had forced him to work away from visitors because of the company’s “look policy.”
In May, lawyers from the American Civil Liberties Union and the Sikh Coalition wrote to Disney expressing concern that Gurdit Singh had been assigned restricted routes at Disney World so visitors wouldn’t see his turban and unshaved beard. The claim noted other staff were rotated through different assignments where they were visible to guests. Lawyers argued this was specifically because of Singh’s racial, ethnic, and religious appearance and said it was a violation of his civil rights.
Walt Disney World Resort has now issued a letter saying that Singh would be granted a religious accommodation from Disney’s strict grooming guidelines, known as “The Disney Look.” Disney attorney Armando Rodriguez-Feo says the company is devoted to diversity.
“The Disney Look” requires workers to have neatly cut hair, no unnatural hair colors and no visible tattoos.
The company only started allowing workers to grow beards in 2012, but the beards have to be neatly trimmed.