Bosses can ban hijabs and turbans at the work, says EU court

Will EU's top court's decision allowing employers to ban headscarves at the workplace cause more religious intolerance and prejudice? Photos: Reuters

Companies may bar staff from wearing Islamic headscarves and other visible religious symbols under certain conditions, the European Union's top court ruled on Tuesday (Mar 15), setting off a storm of complaint from rights groups and religious leaders.

In its first ruling on a hot political issue across Europe, the Court of Justice (ECJ) found a Belgian firm which had a rule barring employees who dealt with customers from wearing visible religious and political symbols may not have discriminated against a receptionist dismissed for wearing a headscarf.