A truck driver is suing his former employer after being fired for refusing to cut his hair in a “buzz cut” style. Drew Harvey, 26, had worked for TMC Transportation in Des Moines, Iowa, for just a month as a flatbed truck driver before he was dismissed in June. In July, Harvey filed a civil rights complaint, and by September 26, he had taken legal action against the company. He claims that he was told his long hair was a “safety issue,” even though other employees were allowed to keep their hair long.
The lawsuit, as reported by the Des Moines Register, points out that other workers with long hair were even featured on TMC’s social media. Harvey’s attorney, Ben Lynch, who has represented other Black men in similar cases against TMC, is handling the case. Harvey asserts that his hair holds spiritual and emotional significance, as he hasn’t cut it since his father’s death four years ago.
Because TMC did not respond to the initial civil rights complaint, Harvey is now pursuing a lawsuit accusing the company of racial discrimination and seeking damages.
