Brussels, Belgium, Mar 14, 2017 / 23:12 pm
Responding to the case of a receptionist fired for wearing a hijab to work, the Court of Justice of the European Union has allowed a qualified ban on religious headscarves in the workplace.
"Nobody should be forced to choose between their religion and their profession," said Adina Portaru, legal counsel for Alliance Defending Freedom International in Brussels. "A court claiming to be a champion of human rights should safeguard the fundamental right to freedom of conscience, religion, and belief rather than undermining it. Citizens' deeply held convictions should be reasonably accommodated by their employers."
The court ruled that it is not directly discriminatory for a workplace to ban "any political, philosophical or religious sign." Any ban must be based on internal company rules requiring neutral dress.
Samira Achbita, a receptionist working at the 4GS security company in Belgium, filed the suit. She was fired in 2006 when she began to wear a headscarf to work after three years of working at the company, BBC News reports.