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Somali workers, employers finding common ground

St. Cloud Times — As part of her job helping patients breathe, Yusra Omar sometimes is required to go into sterile operating rooms where street clothes aren’t permitted.

The standard operating room attire for respiratory therapists is a surgical scrub top and pants. But following Muslim tradition, Omar wears long skirts and covers her head with a scarf or hijab.

Omar worked with Peggy Lange, director of respiratory care at St. Cloud Hospital, to find a solution. After looking at what other hospitals do and browsing medical clothing suppliers, they settled on a longer surgical gown worn over scrub pants with a head covering.

The uniform met the requirements of the hospital to protect patient safety, and allowed Omar to follow her religious customs. It also works for Somali employees in environmental services, who clean the operating rooms.

“Everyone’s happy,” Omar said.

The case highlights how some St. Cloud-area companies are overcoming employment obstacles rooted in cultural differences.

As the labor market changes, the workforce is growing more diverse, said King Banaian, St. Cloud State University economist. People who are retiring are far less likely to be foreign-born than new workers coming into the labor pool, he said.

Read more: http://www.sctimes.com/story/news/local/2016/08/06/finding-common-ground/87538246/

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