A London-based retailer forced a Muslim employee to resign after she wore a headscarf to work, because it wanted to retain its "trendy" image, an employment tribunal has ruled.
Ms Farrah brought a claim for unfair dismissal and direct religious discrimination against her former employer, Global Luggage Co, after the company moved her to a different store to maintain its "trendy" image and later forced her to resign.
Originally, Farrah worked in both the Oxford Street and Piccadilly branches of Global Luggage Co on alternate days each weekend. However, the day after Farrah wore a headscarf to work one of the directors immediately moved her to the Oxford Street store and changed her rota so that she no longer worked at the Piccadilly store
[A COMMENT] Problem here is that employers will choose not to interview or will find legitimate reasons not to employ applicants with these beliefs. It is easily done. Anyway why can't the company choose how it promotes its brand and who it believes is best qualified to represent that brand image. If this girl was wearing a headscarf at the interview then the company has no grounds, but I would suggest that she did not. [Personnel Today] Read more
