Wearing a veil at work

The Mirror reported today that a Muslim employee at a school in Dewsbury, West Yorkshire, is taking Kirklees Council to an employment tribunal because the school has asked her not to wear a full-face veil in the classroom.

A spokesperson for Kirklees Council told Workplace Law that the employee is question is a bi-lingual support assistant, and is currently suspended. The Council would not comment on claims by The Mirror that Aisha Azmi had been told by the school she could wear her veil in the corridors and staff room but not in the classroom, because it interfered with her communication with pupils.

Following the recent controversy over Leader of the Commons Jack Straw’s recent comments on women who wear the Muslim veil, this case is likely to be followed with interest by many, especially as a test of how religious discrimination legislation can be applied.

Employers who feel they may need to find out more about this issue can read guidelines published by the Muslim Council of Britain on their view of the dress code for Muslim women.

The Times has also published details of the widely different types of Muslim dress (hijab). This range includes the total head-and-body covering called a burqa, with only a grille for the eyes; the niqab, a head covering with a slit for the eyes, that is popular dress among strict Muslims in Britain; the shalwar kameez, or trousers and tunic, with a headscarf that Muslim women of Bangladeshi and Pakistani origin often traditionally wear.

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