Some countries and businesses in Europe have issued rulings to ban the wearing of religious headscarves in the workplace. The workplace bans were challenged. The European Court of Justice just ruled that the bans are legal when combined with other restrictions.
Workplace bans on the wearing of “any political, philosophical or religious sign” such as headscarves need not constitute direct discrimination, Europe’s top court has ruled.
But the ban must be based on internal company rules requiring all employees to “dress neutrally”, said the European Court of Justice (ECJ).
It cannot be based on the wishes of a customer, it added.
This is the court’s first ruling on the wearing of headscarves at work.
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