Final answer:
C) To accommodate religious beliefs or disabilities
An employer must adjust dress code requirements under the Title VII provisions to accommodate religious beliefs or disabilities to comply with anti-discrimination laws as per the Civil Rights Act of 1964. This ensures employees can practice their religion, such as wearing religious garments like hijabs, and make necessary accommodations for disabilities.
Step-by-step explanation:
An employer must make adjustments under the Title VII reasonable accommodations provision to employee dress code requirements primarily to accommodate religious beliefs or disabilities.
Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits employment discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin, and it explicitly requires that employers accommodate employees' religious practices, including but not limited to the wearing of religious garb such as headscarves by Muslims. Furthermore, Title VII also requires reasonable accommodations for employees with disabilities, which may include adjustments to the dress code.
For example, if a Muslim employee needs to wear a hijab in accordance with her religious beliefs, an employer may need to modify a uniform policy that would otherwise prohibit head coverings. This was highlighted in the case of Elauf, who was denied employment because of Abercrombie & Fitch's reluctance to accommodate her religious practice of wearing a headscarf.
Workplace culture and policies often dictate standards for professional appearance, yet the law prioritizes the rights of employees to express their religious beliefs and ensures equal employment opportunities regardless of disabilities or other protected characteristics.