A manager at the international accounting firm KPMG has said she faced harassment from colleagues over wearing a keffiyeh, a traditional Palestinian scarf, and was subsequently dismissed from her role, according to the employee's account.
The manager told reporters that the incidents began after she wore the keffiyeh to work and that comments and behaviour by colleagues targeted the garment and its political associations. She says the harassment continued and culminated in her termination from the firm.
The keffiyeh is a patterned scarf widely worn as a cultural garment across the Middle East and often associated with Palestinian identity and solidarity. Clothing or symbols with political meanings have in recent years become focal points for disputes in some workplaces, prompting debate over how employers should balance workplace rules with employees’ rights to cultural and political expression.
KPMG, one of the world’s major professional services firms, has not publicly confirmed the details of the account. Firms in the sector typically state that they prohibit harassment and discrimination and have internal processes for handling complaints. It was not immediately clear whether the manager had pursued formal internal or legal complaints in this case.
The allegation highlights broader challenges companies face in policing conduct and maintaining inclusive workplaces amid politically charged cultural symbols. Employment law and workplace policies differ by jurisdiction, and experts say outcomes can hinge on the specifics of any complaint, the employer’s investigation and documented performance or conduct issues cited as reasons for termination.