The European Union’s top court has decided employers can ban staff from wearing visible religious symbols if they want, in a ruling on the issue of women wearing Islamic headscarves at work.
The European court of justice (ECJ) gave a joined judgment in the cases of women in France and Belgium, who were dismissed for refusing to remove headscarves. It added to the ruling that customers cannot demand workers remove headscalves if the company has no policy barring them or other religious symbols.
“An internal rule of an undertaking which prohibits the visible wearing of any political, philosophical or religious sign does not constitute direct discrimination,” the court said in a statement.
What do you think of this decision? We want to hear from people across Europe. Do you think it is a breach of human rights? How do Muslim women, in particular, feel? What about other religious groups, do you worry it could affect you? Share your views, stories and thoughts below the line.
