Trucking company settles discrimination case with Sikhs

LOS ANGELES (AP) — A national trucking company has agreed to pay $260,000 to settle discrimination complaints by four Sikh drivers who were denied jobs for refusing to take drug tests that would have violated their religious beliefs.

J.B. Hunt Transport Services Inc. reached the settlement being announced Tuesday with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, according to the agreement provided to The Associated Press.

The trucking company required three men to clip their hair for drug samples and required a fourth to remove his turban before providing a urine sample, said The Sikh Coalition, which represented the men and shared the agreement.

Observant Sikhs never cut their hair and wear turbans in public at all times, said Harsimran Kaur, the group's legal director.

Thousands of Sikhs work as truckers in the U.S. and the group said it has also learned of technology and pharmaceutical companies that asked Sikhs to provide hair samples, which can show the presence of drugs several months after use.