Sikh Motorman Claims He's Forced To Wear MTA Logo On His Turban

[JTF]

Sikh Motorman Claims He's Forced To Wear MTA Logo On His Turban

NEW YORK -- A New York City subway engineer who wears a turban as part of his Sikh religion said he was ordered to put an MTA logo patch on his headwear.

Kevin Harrington said he reluctantly put the logo patch on his turban after his supervisors said he would be demoted to moving trains in a subway yard.

Harrington said he's worn his turban for 25 years while working as a motorman, but in the last year his headwear caught the attention of transit officials. He is involved in a federal civil lawsuit to get the transit authority to allow his turban.

The lawsuit revolves around religious freedom versus workplace uniformity.

A spokesman for New York City Transit said the agency requires its employees to wear uniforms and hats that have been approved.

Harrington said he will continue to wear the MTA logo, because if he's reassigned he would not be able to get home in time to watch his children when they come home from school.

Four Muslims are suing the transit authority because they are made to wear headscarves with the MTA logo.
© 2005 by The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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Why are there so many damn lawsuits? I think asking then to wear an MTA logo on their turbin is more than fair, as the MTA could tell them to stop wearing the turbins altogether. They haven't worn them before? Well, things are different now. What's so wrong with just coming forward and saying that "Thanks to Osama Bin Laden & his henchmen" they have gotten complaints from worried riders who pause a moment when seeing a man in a turbin operating the train...