Federal Court Upholds Atlantic City Fire’s No-Beard Rule

The US District Court for the District of New Jersey has upheld the Atlantic City Fire Department’s no-beard policy. The policy had been challenged by a city firefighter, Alexander Smith, on First Amendment, religious, and equal protection grounds. Smith also claims he had been retaliated against for requesting an accommodation.

Court Upholds No-Beard Rule for Jacksonville Firefighters

A US District Court judge has granted judgment to the City of Jacksonville, dismissing a lawsuit filed by thirty African American firefighters who claimed that the city’s requirement that they be clean-shaven was discriminatory. The firefighters filed suit in 2020 alleging the city’s refusal to grant them a continuing accommodation to have closely cropped shadow beards constituted disability and race discrimination.

FDNY Prevails in Second Facial Hair Lawsuit

FDNY has prevailed once again in a lawsuit challenging its no-beard policy. In a ruling handed down yesterday, US District Court Judge Nicholas G. Garaufis concluded the OSHA prohibition of facial hair at the SCBA interface serves to create an undue hardship that relieves fire departments of an obligation to grant religious accommodations.

Terminated Philly Recruit Alleges Beard-Related Religious Discrimination

A recruit firefighter who was dismissed from the Philadelphia Fire Department’s fire academy in 2019 for refusing to shave his beard, has filed suit alleging religious discrimination. Malcolm Lindsay filed suit alleging religious discrimination and retaliation under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Pennsylvania Human Relations Act.

Thirty Jacksonville Firefighters Challenge Clean Shaven Requirement

Thirty Jacksonville, Florida firefighters have filed suit claiming the department’s policy that SCBA qualified firefighters be clean-shaven discriminates against them on the basis of their race and disability. All thirty are African American firefighters who suffer from Pseudofolliculitis Barbae.

Court Rules FDNY Must Accommodate Facial Hair Despite OSHA

A federal judge has ruled that FDNY must reinstate an accommodation granted to African American firefighters suffering from Pseudofolliculitis Barbae that permits facial hair in the chin, cheek and neck area provided it does not cause leakage around the mask's seal. The firefighters filed suit in 2018 alleging race and disability discrimination.

Four FDNY Firefighters Challenge Shaving Requirement As Discriminatory

Four African American firefighters have filed suit against the City of New York challenging FDNY’s requirement that they be “clean shaven”. The firefighters claim the city's policy is part of a deliberate effort to “thin the ranks of African American firefighters.”

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