Dhimmitude in Dallas. Why did CareNow impose its no-hats policy in the first place? Was it “Islamophobia”? In reality, it is unlikely that they were thinking of Islam at all. They were probably thinking of hygienic issues. Are those concerns out the window now? Must Islamophobophobia — fear of being thought of as an “Islamphobe” — trump even a clinic’s concern for the health of its patients?
“Clinic Apologizes for Telling Muslim Doctor She Can’t Wear Headscarf,” from FoxNews, November 2:
DALLAS — A suburban Dallas medical clinic has apologized to a Muslim doctor for telling her during a job interview that she would not be allowed to wear her headscarf while at work.
Dr. Hena Zaki of Plano said Friday that she was shocked when officials at CareNow, which operates 22 clinics in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, told her in person and later by e-mail that a no-hat policy extended to her hijab.
Zaki had been on a tour of a CareNow clinic in Allen, Texas, two weeks ago when she said the regional medical director told her he didn’t want her to be surprised about the policy during orientation. “He interrupted the interview and said he didn’t want me to take this the wrong way,” Zaki said. “Like an FYI.”
Zaki demanded an apology and a change in CareNow’s policies to accommodate expressions of religious belief — “whether it be a turban or facial hair.”
On Friday, CareNow President Tim Miller told the Associated Press: “I would apologize for any misunderstanding, definitely … but I don’t really feel like there is anything that we did that is wrong and our policy is wrong.”
The next day, as reported by MyFoxDallas/Fort Worth, Miller wrote in a statement: “We apologize to Dr. Zaki for the misunderstanding. We will clarify our policy, and will continue our ongoing sensitivity training.”
“Care Now has made religious accommodations for employees in the past,” he said, adding that the company is interested in “sitting down with Dr. Zaki and discussing a job.”
CareNow says it does not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, religion or national origin when making employment decisions. The Civil Rights Act requires companies to make accommodations for employees’ religious beliefs….