Judge Rules That Abercrombie's Ban On Religious Head Scarves Is Illegal

A judge has ruled that retailer Abercrombie & Fitch's ban on religious head scarves in the workplace is illegal.

Former Hollister employee Hani Khan was fired from a San Francisco-area store in 2010 after she refused to remove her hijab, reports The San Jose Mercury News.

U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers found that by firing Khan, Abercrombie, which owns Hollister, "violated anti-discrimination laws," the Mercury News reported.

Abercrombie's strict dress code includes a ban on all head coverings, leading the U.S. Equal Opportunity Commission and civil rights lawyers to sue the brand for religious discrimination.

Abercrombie has a September 30 trial date in the case.

The brand released a statement denying it discriminates based on religion, saying "we grant religious accommodations when reasonable," the Mercury News reported.