A man in Greenwood, Ind., alleges a shuttle operator would not hire him because his Sikh faith requires him to wear a beard and turban.
Inderjit Singh alleges in a lawsuit filed in the U.S. District Court for Southern Indiana that Air Serv Corp., an airport shuttle company, would not hire him as a driver because of his beard and turban, The Indianapolis Star reported Thursday.
Singh alleges in a statement released by his attorneys that he was still denied employment by Air Serv Corp. after he explained his Sikh beliefs.
“I just want to work and earn a living, but Air Serv refused to give me a chance even after they understood that a turban and a beard are an integral part of my faith,” Singh alleges.
The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission said its investigation found Air Serv Corp. was unwilling to accommodate the 51-year-old Sikh’s need to wear a beard and turban.
The Star said Singh, who is not allowed to cut his hair as part of his Sikh beliefs, is seeking unspecified punitive damages in the suit, along with back pay for the two years that passed since he sought employment with Air Serv Corp.
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