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Complaint filed over beard policy after Baltimore paramedic suspended

A Muslim civil rights group alleges the Baltimore Fire Department denied religious accommodation, selectively enforced its grooming policy and suspended him without offering a respirator fit test

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A Baltimore Fire Department ambulance.

Baltimore Fire Department/Facebook

BALTIMORE — The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) has filed a federal discrimination complaint against the Baltimore City Fire Department on behalf of a Muslim paramedic who was suspended for keeping a beard as part of his religious practice.

According to a statement, the suspension followed the employer’s refusal to grant a religious accommodation to the agency’s grooming policy. The complaint asks the EEOC to investigate, reinstate the paramedic with back pay and mandate policy changes and staff training.

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Othmane El Omari sought to maintain his facial hair in accordance with his religious beliefs since beginning his employment with the fire department. The complaint alleges that the department has repeatedly denied his accommodation requests, enforcing grooming policies in a discriminatory manner that has hindered his ability to work free from harassment and unequal treatment.

The department says its grooming policy is needed to ensure a proper respirator seal. The OSHA standard states “The test shall not be conducted if there is any hair growth between the skin and the facepiece sealing surface, such as stubble beard growth, beard, mustache or sideburns which cross the respirator sealing surface.” The department has not administered a fit test to Omari and has instead enforced the policy against him.

The complaint states:

“Mr. El Omari expressly seeks a narrow accommodation from BCFD that OSHA itself contemplates, shaving only the sealing area and submitting to fit testing. Refusing even to conduct a fit test underscores that BCFD’s obstacle is its own rigid policy, not federal law. Any alleged difficulty arises solely from BCFD’s own policies and inaction.”

CAIR alleges that the department has allowed other EMS personnel and firefighters, including some supervisors, to keep facial hair without consequence and continue working safely.

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Bill Carey is the associate editor for FireRescue1.com and EMS1.com. A former Maryland volunteer firefighter, sergeant, and lieutenant, Bill has written for several fire service publications and platforms. His work on firefighter behavioral health garnered a 2014 Neal Award nomination. His ongoing research and writings about line-of-duty death data is frequently cited in articles, presentations, and trainings. Have a news tip? He can be reached at news@lexipol.com.