By EMS1 Staff
NEW YORK — An Orthodox Jewish paramedic is suing a hospital in New York because she is not allowed to wear skirts.
JTA reported that Hadas Goldfarb, 26, claimed she began working at the New York Presbyterian Hospital in 2015 but was terminated when she refused to follow the dress code. The paramedic, who would not follow the stipulation that she must wear pants, alleged in her civil suit complaint that her “termination was unlawful retaliation for her refusing to compromise her religious principles.”
Many Orthodox Jewish women traditionally wear skirts only, and Goldfarb follows this practice. She said she has had no problem doing this while working for other paramedic employers.
“I’ve been an EMS for a while and I haven’t had a problem — I just wasn’t expecting it to be an issue,” she said.
The lawsuit says the hospital did not accommodate her religious beliefs, which is illegal.
Goldfarb is suing for damages, her job back and an order for the hospital, as well as the city of New York, to begin accommodating requests to wear skirts.