Disney, Muslim worker agree on hijab substitute

[September 28, 2010]  ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) -- Disney is allowing a Muslim employee at its Orange County park to wear a specially designed headscarf after initially objecting to her religious head covering, the Council on American-Islamic Relations said Monday.

Noor Abdallah, 22, was told she couldn't wear the hijab while working as a vacation planner at a Disneyland Resort Esplanade ticket booth. She declined to take another job away from the public, the council said.

The park worked with Abdallah to design a covering to match her costume and meet her religious needs, Disneyland spokeswoman Suzi Brown said. She's been wearing a blue scarf topped with a beret since early this month.

"Walt Disney Parks and Resorts has a long history of accommodating a variety of religious requests from cast members of all faiths -- with more than 200 accommodations made over the last three years and this instance was no different," Brown said in a statement.

Brown said the case is separate from that of another Muslim Disney worker who refused to accept a costume headpiece and filed a federal discrimination complaint.

[Associated Press]

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