Beware religious discrimination with regards to attire

Massachusetts law prevents owners, agents, and employees of places of public accommodation from discriminating against patrons based on the patron’s religion. On May 14, 2008, a decision by the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination (MCAD) expanded the law to require public establishments to accommodate a patron’s religious beliefs. Under this decision, MCAD upheld a $3,500 emotional distress damages award against a skating rink for its refusal to accommodate a Muslim patron’s religious beliefs. Employees of the rink refused to admit a Muslim woman to the facility wearing her hijab, or to provide a ribbon to secure the hijab to her head.