Employers may prohibit headscarves

amsterdam - Employers may prohibit their staff to wear a headscarf or other religious symbol in the workplace. That the European Court of Justice ruled Tuesday. The court is following the advice of the Advocate General gave last year.

A business may prohibit a worker to wear a headscarf at work. That's not discrimination, but the ban must be based on business rules which the company visible wearing of any political, philosophical or religious prohibiting sign.

The case revolves around a Muslim who worked as a receptionist at the Belgian company G4S. Samira Achbita was dismissed in 2006 when she started wearing a headscarf in service after three years. The desire of an employer to want to convey neutrality to its customers is legitimate, according to the court, particularly when it applies to workers who have contact with customers.

The Belgian Supreme Court had referred the matter to the court in Luxembourg.