Euro-court rules that companies can prohibit headcoverings

Employers in the European Union can prohibit religious clothing or the display of religious symbols provided they apply the policy universally without distinguishing between faiths, the European Court of Justice has ruled.

A ban would not constitute direct discrimination as long as it was applied in “a general and undifferentiated way,” the Luxembourg-based institution said.

Its decision arose from a four-year dispute in Belgium between a social housing company and a Muslim woman applying for an internship.

The company said she would not be able to wear a headscarf because it did not allow employees to wear hats, caps or head coverings of any kind.