12 June 2015

Nursery worker banned from wearing Islamic dress because it is 'tripping hazard'

A Muslim woman has lost her legal battle to wear a style of traditional Islamic dress at a nursery as it was a "tripping hazard" for children and staff.

Tamanna Begum wanted to wear a flowing, head-to-toe jilbab gown to Barley Lane Montessori Day Nursery in Ilford, Essex.

She wore her full-length outfit at her interview, where a manager offered her an apprenticeship but asked if she could wear a slightly shorter jilbab that did not extend over her feet when she joined.

.... But the Employment Appeal Tribunal has now upheld a ruling by East London employment tribunal that the gown was "reasonably regarded as a tripping hazard" by the nursery.

Judge Daniel Serota QC noted that Ms Begum was only asked to wear a shorter version of the jilbab she sported at interview rather than being banned from wearing the religious garment at all. [The Telegraph] Read more