Tag Archives: clean shaven

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.

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BREAKING NEWS: Second Circuit Upholds FDNY’s No Beard Policy

The Second Circuit Court of Appeals has reversed a lower court decision that concluded that FDNY has to allow firefighters with a skin condition an accommodation to have beards. In doing so the court concluded: “An accommodation is not reasonable within the meaning of the ADA if it is specifically prohibited by a binding safety regulation promulgated by a federal agency.”

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Judge Denies TRO To Atlantic City Firefighter Over Religious Beard

A US District Court judge has denied a request for a temporary restraining order against the Atlantic City Fire Department to block disciplinary proceedings against a firefighter who has refused to shave his beard due to his religious beliefs. Alexander Smith filed suit claiming the fire department’s rules prohibiting beards discriminates against him on account of his religion.

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