Discrimination Allegations: Philadelphia Firefighter Claims Supervisor Threatened to Cut Off His Locs in Sleep

A seasoned member of the Philadelphia Fire Department, Bariq Fluellen, has lodged a formal grievance against the city, alleging racial discrimination. Serving since 2013 and embracing his cultural identity as a Black man and Rastafarian through his locs, Fluellen claims the department’s grooming policy is biased against Black firefighters and fosters harassment and a hostile environment for him. The complaint, filed with the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission (PHRC), is supported by the Public Interest Law Center. It contends that the grooming policy violates the Pennsylvania Human Relations Act by unjustly banning specific culturally significant hairstyles without valid safety reasons. While the fire department enforces grooming norms framed as safety measures, Fluellen successfully completed all respirator fit tests. He reports years of derogatory treatment from peers and superiors, including threats to cut his hair. His complaint seeks not only to amend the grooming policy but also to obtain compensation for the distress he has suffered. "This is about creating an environment where individuals can authentically exist," stated legal director Mimi McKenzie.