A Muslim officer at the New York Police Department has filed a class action suit against his employer alleging that the department’s no-beard rule infringes on his religious freedom, according to local reports.
Masood Syed, 32, was suspended Tuesday for refusing to shave his beard and filed suit the following day in the Federal District Court in Manhattan, according to a New York Times report. The judge told the NYPD to continue paying Syed until a ruling in July.
The Brief Newsletter
Sign up to receive the top stories you need to know right now. View Sample
Read More: The Surprising—and Welcome—Social Advance Embedded in the Orlando Attacks
The NYPD said that the rule was designed with officer safety in mind. Beards prevent easy use of gas masks, according to the department.
SPONSORED FINANCIAL CONTENT
