Discrimination?

[naomi24]

A hairdresser is being sued after refusing to employ a Muslim woman who wanted to wear a headscarf at work. Is it justified?

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/article-234 20128-details/Hairdresser+sued+for+refusing+to +hire+Muslim+woman+in+a+headscarf/article.do

[China Doll]

A head scarf would not actually stop a hairdresser doing their job though. Neither is it untrendy particularly being as it's not really a 'fashion item.'

However I don't really understand what the debate is since it appears that this lady may not actually be cut out for the hairdressing business if she's been turned down all those times.

It sounds to me like another titilation, shock and outrage story.

[Reverandfunk]

Not cut out lol

[China Doll]

Whoops, that's terrible! Sorry, pun was not intended.

[Emu2005]

Ha ha I agree with China Doll - hairdressers do nearly always have horrible hair!!

I can see why she's upset at being 'discriminated' against, but I think it's very bad that she's going after this woman who runs a small business for an obscene amount of money when you think about what has actually been done. I feel sorry for the owner who has had to pay out legal costs already, all for being honest with an interviewee.

This woman has probably worked hard to build up her own business and should be allowed to employ who she likes, I'm guessing she's wishing she had made up some other reason for not employing her now. If people just automatically go for compensation whatever the reason, all potential employers will just lie about their reasons for not employing people (which I'm sure a lot of them do already). The salon owner should be applauded for being honest with the girl.

[Twenty20]

Yes, but the owner was very naive by even mentioning the scarf. Surely it would have been better, in our current pc climate, to have simply have said something along the lines of 'sorry, we've found someone better suited'. It just left the door open for this person to try and grab some money.

[jake-the-peg]

However if employers break the law and aren't sued they'll just keep doing it.

She's clearly been descriminated against the question is whether or not it was on legal grounds.

I suspect the owner may be OK I think she's got a case that she descriminated against her based on her appearance rather than on racial grounds.

If she'd rejected someone on her age (as I have no doubt she would have done given what she said) she'd have been breaking the law.

[jiggy-gb]

A slightly off topic but genuine question here; where do Muslim women who insist on wearing the headscarf or full face coverings in public get their hair cut? Are there mobile muslim hairdressers doing home visits? I should have asked an old friend of mine years ago, she used to show me her latest 'do' in the ladies and she always had beautiful hair, but it never occured to me about where she got it done!

[NikkiB]

A few years ago I used to work at a High Street clothes store and a woman turned up for a job interview. What she wore would have been fine for a traditional office interview but it wasn't deemed correct for a hi fashion store. The woman showed respect by dressing smartly and conservatively but it just didn't hit the right buttons in the line of work she was applying to join.

I really feel for this young businesswoman who is likely to lose the shop she's built up. It really was put into context when she stated that the scarf-wearing woman was suing her for more that she (the salon ower) earned in a year.

I'm white, middle class.. If I went for a job for which I was qualified tomorrow and did not get it, how could I sue the interviewer/potential employers? In fact, shouldn't i just accept that when there's one vacancy, only one person can be successful and the rest of the applicants disappointed?

If this suit finds in the Muslim girl's favour, doesn't it open the flood gates for more of this "prove you didn't hire me because I'm a Muslim/white/black/christian etc"?????

This is all sad capitalising on the racial/gender/health and safety litigation business.

[Imp y Celyn]

what i don't get is that she has been turned down for 27 other jobs but she is suing this particular salon. and how do we know she is actually qalified to do the job?

[Petal~flower]

I cant understand how this story made it to the papers. So what, she was turned down for a job. Now she wants compensation of �15,000.

The world has gone f*cking mad

[maxi2]

A hairdresser (or anyone else for that matter) should be able to employ or not employ anyone who will or will not be complementary to their business for whatever reason they wish or do not wish to disclose. Anything else is external meddling and should not be tolerated. End.

[netibiza]

The world's gone mad - absolutely stupid. Bring back the old days when no one had any"rights", let the local bobby clip your ears for misdemeanors, let the schoolteacher rap your knuckles with a ruler. Start thinking straight.

[naomi24]

People must dress appropriately for the job they do. For example, waiting staff wearing jeans and a football shirt wouldn't be acceptable in a first class restaurant, nor would such attire be acceptable in a city office. Company image is important to any business.

Thanks for all your answers.

[chadad]

OF COURSE a potential customer would need to see the hair styles of ALL the assistants in any hairdressing salon.
This enables the potential customer to select the assistant with the lousiest hair-do.
On the premise that the selected assistant had done the hair of all the other assistants, and that the next best had done hers.
Thus proving that she must be the top hairdresser.
BTW. I don't worry about my hair for the same reason I don't wag my tail.
chadad

[its_me_baby]

u know what whys she singling out this hairdresser when shes been refused for 25 other jobs, more to the point if she has 18mnths experiance in another job why she not staying there.
has any1 ever seen any1 in a head scarf working in a hairdressers??