Denver, October 2, 2004
Denver International Airport says it believes it has resolved a dispute
over Muslim women and Sikh men being ordered to remove their religious
headwear for identification photos.
Employee complaints over the practice led to a federal mediation service
sending a representative to the airport.
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DIA spokesman Steve Snyder said a number of airport workers objected
to removing their headwear for photos on their airport security badges.
The federal Transportation Security Administration decided to allow
the photos to be taken with religious scarves and turbans, but not veils,
Snyder said.
Snyder said he did not know if any worker at the airport wears a veil.
A number do wear headscarves.
All workers, including fast-food outlet employees, must have an airport
security badge.
TSA spokeswoman Jennifer Marti said the employees, as well as passengers,
must remove headgear when they go through security screening. But they
may ask to do so in a private room.
The Community Relations Service mediators of the Department of Justice
visited the airport in the past few days after hearing that some employees
thought that having ID photos taken with bare heads was "an unwarranted
intrusion that may result in them having to remove their head covering
every time their identity is questioned."
Snyder said the service sent a representative who routinely talks to
airport staff about their treatment of Muslims, and to the Muslim community
about what to expect at airports.
Snyder said the representative has been to DIA previously, and likely
will come again. But he believes the ID dispute is settled.
The mediation office said its services are confidential, and it could
neither confirm nor deny that it was looking into anything at DIA.
Mediation results:
• Religious headwear may be worn for photos on airport security
badges.
• Employees and passengers must remove religious headwear when
passing through airport security.