A Muslim man who says he had been selected for a deputy position with the Somerset County Sheriff’s Office claims the opportunity disappeared after he asked to keep his beard and observe daily prayers for religious reasons. The case has now drawn condemnation from the Council on American-Islamic Relations’ New Jersey chapter and a formal civil rights complaint.
SOMERSET COUNTY, NJ — A dispute over religious accommodations is raising questions about hiring practices at the Somerset County Sheriff’s Office after a Muslim job candidate alleged that his path to becoming a sheriff’s deputy ended soon after he requested accommodations for his faith.
According to CAIR-NJ, Habeeb Syed applied for a position as a sheriff’s deputy and says he successfully moved through the hiring process, including an interview, before being informed that he had been selected for the job.
The situation allegedly changed when Syed raised two religious requests: permission to maintain his beard and the ability to perform his five daily Islamic prayers at their required times.
CAIR-NJ says Syed was asked during the process whether he could consult an imam about shaving his beard and whether his prayers could instead be postponed until after his workday.
Syed later formally requested religious accommodations.
According to his complaint, he was subsequently informed that the Sheriff’s Office would no longer move forward with his candidacy. Officials reportedly cited budget reductions as the reason.
Syed disputes that explanation and alleges that his request for religious accommodations was the real reason the job opportunity ended.
Civil Rights Complaint Filed
Syed filed a complaint on July 13 with the New Jersey Division on Civil Rights, alleging religious discrimination under the state’s Law Against Discrimination.
The allegations have not been proven in court, and the complaint represents Syed’s account of what happened.
CAIR-NJ has publicly condemned the Somerset County Sheriff’s Office over the case, arguing that employees and job applicants should not be forced to choose between their faith and employment when reasonable accommodations can be made.
The dispute centers on an issue that extends beyond this individual case: how law-enforcement agencies balance uniform and workplace policies with protections for religious practice.
Not the First Religious Discrimination Claim
The controversy also comes after another Muslim employee connected to the Somerset County Sheriff’s Office raised allegations of religious discrimination earlier this year.
Officer Refika Colucci filed a separate lawsuit alleging religious discrimination, harassment and retaliation.
That earlier case and Syed’s complaint involve different circumstances, but together they have increased scrutiny of the Sheriff’s Office and its handling of religious accommodation issues.
What Happens Next
The New Jersey Division on Civil Rights can investigate discrimination complaints and determine whether further action is warranted.
For now, Syed’s allegations remain claims that will have to be evaluated through the state’s civil rights process.
The central question is whether the decision to end his candidacy was genuinely connected to budget concerns — as he says he was told — or whether his requests to keep his beard and pray during the workday played a role.
Sources: CAIR-NJ; New Jersey Division on Civil Rights complaint; Patch reporting.
By NJ RADAR Team