A Muslim woman is suing her former employers after allegedly being ordered to remove her black headscarf because the garment had “terrorist affiliations”.
The estate agent, who did not want to be named, had been working for Harvey Dean in Bury for almost a year when she says managers took issue with her hijab.
A complaint filed at the Manchester Employment Tribunal says the woman was told that moving from a back office into public view meant “that it would be in the best interest of the business for her to change the colour of her hijab, due to the supposed terrorist affiliation with the colour black”.
A colleague allegedly claimed that the predominantly white and non-Muslim community around the company’s office would “feel intimidated and scared if they saw the claimant”.
The woman, who had been wearing a black headscarf that left her face uncovered since starting at Harvey Dean, said she was not prepared to change her attire for the reasons given. She refused again in a phone call and had a meeting the following day with the male manager, who had allegedly brought coloured hijabs into the office for her to change into. Hours later, the claimant says she was reprimanded for sending a text message to her father.
The former housing sales negotiator said she felt “singled out” as the only Muslim woman in the office and claims the company discriminated against her on the basis of both religion and gender.
The tribunal complaint argues that her treatment created an “intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating and offensive environment”, and is seeking a written admission that she was subjected to unlawful discrimination.
The case, which will be considered at a preliminary hearing at the Manchester Employment Tribunal on 20 July, could result in Harvey Dean paying “aggravated damages” and compensation covering loss of earnings, holiday pay and legal fees.
