Abercrombie & Fitch Settles With Tulsa Woman In Religious Discrimination Case

The Tulsa woman who sued Abercrombie & Fitch has received a settlement in the civil rights lawsuit. Samantha Elauf sued after the clothing store refused to hire her because she wore a hijab or head scarf as part of her religious practice.

Managers of the store in Tulsa said the scarf would violate the company's "look policy," and the case went all the way to the Supreme Court. In June of this year, justices ruled the retail chain had violated her civil rights for failing to accommodate her beliefs.

On Tuesday, the U.S. Tenth Court of appeals dismissed the clothing store's appeal due to the Supreme Court ruling. The company paid $25,670 in damages to Elauf and almost $19,000 in court costs.

6/1/2015 Related Story: Supreme Court Rules For Tulsa Woman In Case Against Abercrombie & Fitch

Elauf said she began wearing a hijab as part of her Muslim faith when she was 13 and wore one to her interview.

In a news release, she said she was grateful to the Supreme Court for its decision and the message she hopes it sends to others.

“I was a teenager who loved fashion and was eager to work for Abercrombie & Fitch. Observance of my faith should not have prevented me from getting a job," she said.

"I am glad that I stood up for my rights, and happy that EEOC was there for me and took my complaint to the courts.”

U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission attorney David Lopez said he was extremely pleased with the ruling.

“We are now even more pleased to have final resolution of this case and to have Ms. Elauf receive the monetary damages awarded to her by a jury in 2011,” he said.