Houston woman settles lawsuit over Sikh dagger

HOUSTON -- A former Internal Revenue Service worker in Houston has settled a lawsuit she had filed after being fired for insisting on wearing to work a three-inch ceremonial dagger sacred to her faith.

The Houston Chronicle reports Kawaljeet Tagore had sued in 2009 after being fired three years earlier.

After Tagore had become a member of the Sikh faith in 2005, she began wearing a miniature blunt-edged dagger. The small blade is required to be worn by Sikh members.

Tagore was terminated from her job in 2006 after federal officials couldn't reach a compromise with her over safety concerns they had about the blade.

The lawsuit, settled Thursday, removes Tagore's firing from her record. While Tagore can't seek re-employment with the IRS, she can seek work with other federal agencies.