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WASHINGTON — November 18, 2009. According to the Associated Press, this past spring, a Pentecostal woman who refused to wear pants as part of her bus driver uniform prompted the region’s transit system to implement new policies to accommodate employees’ religious practices.
The woman, Gloria Jones, filed a complaint last September, claiming that she was not hired as a Metro bus operator due to religious discrimination, according to Steven Taubenkibel, spokesman for the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority.
Jones met the qualifications for the position; however, she declined to wear the pants required for the uniform because of her Apostolic Pentecostal faith. She made a verbal request to be allowed to wear a skirt, and Metro terminated her application.
The U.S. Department of Justice announced a settlement between Jones and the transit agency, which agreed to pay her more than $47,000, which probably will cover lawyer fees. The agency also agreed to pay $2,500 to two others who said Metro didn’t accommodate their beliefs.
The transit agency will also be implementing new procedures to accommodate employee’s religious practices.
Jones’ strong stance on holiness is a reminder to us of the importance of standing for what is right.
