new law protects against religious bias in the workplace

Over the weekend in California, Governor Jerry Brown signed a new law that that protects those wearing religious or hairstyle, such as Sikhs and Muslims, from discrimination in the workplace: Jerry Brown signs law protecting Sikhs, Muslims, from workplace bias

AB 1964, authored by Assemblywoman Mariko Yamada, restricts employers from segregating an employee from customers and public view as a means of accommodating the employee's religious beliefs. That means, say, a Sikh employee who wears a turban cannot be relegated to working the back room of a clothing store.

The new law restricts employers from segregating an employee from customers and the public as a means of accommodating the employee’s religious beliefs. It clarifies that employers must accommodate a worker’s religious practices unless it creates "significant difficulty or expense" for the employer. It also specifies that religious dress and grooming qualify as protected religious observances, according to Assemblywoman Mariko Yamada (D-Davis), who wrote the bill.

Are you reading this, Abercrombie & Fitch? Probably not.