EEOC sues senior living center over headscarf

An Ellicott City senior living facility is being sued for allegedly violating federal law for failing to hire a Muslim woman who would not remove her head scarf.

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission filed a lawsuit against Morningside House on behalf of Khadijah Salim on Monday.

The lawsuit says Morningside House's director of health and wellness asked if Salim during a June 2010 interview if she would remove her religious headscarf, called a hijab, if she worked at the facility. Salim was not hired or contacted after her interview.

The EEOC says Morningside House violated a federal law that requires employers to reasonably accommodate an applicant or employee's religious beliefs or practices.

A telephone message left for the Morningside House executive director was not immediately returned. — Associated Press