The Hijab Is A Form Of Expression, Not Oppression
Newsy's Noor Tagouri breaks down the stigma around the head covering.
LEARN MOREEuropean Court Rules Employers Can Ban Headscarves In The Workplace
The court ruled that banning visible religious symbols under certain conditions is not discriminatory.
European Court Rules Employers Can Ban Headscarves In The Workplace
Getty Images
March 14, 2017
The European Union's top court ruled Tuesday that companies are allowed to ban employees from wearing visible religious symbols — including Muslim headscarves — to work.
The ruling is in response to a discrimination case brought by a Muslim woman in Belgium. She was fired after her headscarf was found to violate the company's neutral prohibition on religious symbols.
The European Court of Justice decided the policy wasn't direct discrimination, since it didn't single out a particular religion.
"Accordingly, such an internal rule does not introduce a difference of treatment that is directly based on religion or belief, for the purposes of the directive," the court's decision said.
It's the court's first direct ruling on the topic of headscarves in the workplace.
France already has a ban on wearing a headscarf in public schools. And in 2010, it became the first European country to ban full-face veils.
Belgium and Bulgaria have followed with similar bans.
To avoid singling out its Muslim employees, the EU court said companies would also need to ban other religious symbols like skullcaps and crucifixes.
The court's decision applies to all 28 EU member countries.
Correction: A previous version of this story stated that France, Belgium and Bulgaria have burqa bans. The countries have actually banned full-face veils, which include both burqas and niqabs — not just burqas. This article has been updated.
5:29
Zelenskyy tells UK ‘freedom will win,’ pushes for warplanes
This was was Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's second confirmed journey outside Ukraine since Russia invaded nearly a year ago.
By Peter Nicholls/Pool via AP0:44
UK nurses, ambulance crews strike, straining health system
Unions are seeking a pay raise for the current year, but the government says it will only talk about the year ahead.
By Frank Augstein / APFormer Israeli PM: Putin promised not to kill Zelenskyy
Former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett became one of the few Western leaders to meet President Vladimir Putin during the war.
By Tsafrir Abayov / APTop Stories
3:37
AI-powered walking sticks could help those who are visually impaired
Researchers say the walking stick is still years away from being available to the public.
By Scripps NewsTyre Nichols documents: Officer never explained stop to him
Emerging reports say the officers who pulled Tyre Nichols from his car never told him why he was being stopped.
By City of Memphis / AP3:06
A Syrian American couple helps with aid after deadly earthquake
A Syrian American couple are now leading relief efforts in the aftermath of one of the deadliest earthquakes of the century.
By Emrah Gurel / AP