EU’s top court rules hijab can be banned at workplace

The European Union’s (EU) top court said last Thursday that corporations and businesses may restrict the wearing of hijabs or headscarves as long as it is part of a broader prohibition.

The Court was hearing a case relating to a Muslim lady who was notified that she could not wear a hijab when she applied for a six-week work internship at a Belgian company.

The Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) maintained that a general prohibition on a headscarf is not discriminatory against workers on religious grounds and does not violate EU law.

According to the reports, a woman said that she was not allowed to wear the hijab when she applied for a traineeship program at a Belgian company. However, the company stated that it has a neutrality rule under which all kinds of head coverings are banned inside its premises including hats, caps, or headscarves. The woman took her grievance to a Belgian court who eventually referred the case to the CJEU for clarification on the EU law. The top court ruled on October 13 that a general ban on hats and headwear does not violate EU law.

Notably, last year, the CJEU had ruled that EU companies could prohibit their employees from wearing headscarves under specific situations if they were required to portray a neutral image to clients.

There are many countries including France, Germany and Netherlands who have imposed ban on hijab in public places or in schools and other educational institutions.

France was the first European country to prohibit the niqab and burqa from being donned in public places. Meanwhile, in Germany, the question of hijab ban mostly affects aspiring teachers in public schools and trainee judges. Niqabs and burqas are also prohibited in schools, hospitals, and public transportation in the Netherlands.