DMV worker told NJ woman to remove chemo headscarf: lawsuit

A cancer patient is suing the New Jersey's Motor Vehicle Commission for compelling her to remove her headscarf to take a driver's license photo.

Jennifer Giordano, 40,  says she was still uncomfortable without wearing a wrap to cover her balding head caused by chemotherapy.

The lawsuit alleges an employee at the Eatontown office said she had to remove her headscarf for a new license photo and refused an old photograph Giordano brought with her.

State law allows people undergoing medical treatment to use old photographs for new licenses. Giordano says another employee intervened and produced a new license with the old photo.

She is suing for emotional distress.

The New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission declined to comment, citing pending litigation.

This is not the first incident of this type.  In 2015, cancer patient Joanne Jodry of Neptune City says when she went to the MVC facility in Freehold to get a new license she was forced to take a new photo.

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Publicity surrounding that case ended up with new law that allows people undergoing medical treatments to use their old license photo on a renewal for one year.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.