Advocate General’s Opinion in ECJ Case C-188/15 Bougnaoui and ADDH v Micropole SA

In an Opinion announced on the 13 July 2016 ECJ Advocate General Sharpston considered that a company policy requiring an employee to remove her Islamic headscarf when in contact with clients constituted unlawful direct discrimination.

An entirely neutral dress code policy might also constitute indirect discrimination which would be justified only if it was proportionate to the pursuance of a legitimate aim, including the interests of an
employer’s business

• Primary Source

ESO: Background information: Wearing the veil at work: Achbita and Bougnaoui - Can a duty to reasonable accommodation be derived from the EU concept of indirect discrimination? http://www.europeansources.info/record/blog-wearing-the-veil-at-work-achbita-and-bougnaoui-can-a-duty-to-reasonable-accommodation-be-derived-from-the-eu-concept-of-indirect-discrimination/

ESO: Background information: Advocate General’s Opinion in Case C-157/15 Samira Achbita and Centrum voor gelij kheid van kansen en voor racismebestrijding v G4S Secure Solutions NV http://www.europeansources.info/record/advocate-generals-opinion-in-case-c-157-15-samira-achbita-and-centrum-voor-gelij-kheid-van-kansen-en-voor-racismebestrijding-v-g4s-secure-solutions-nv/

BBC News, 13.07.16: Frenchwoman 'faced job discrimination over headscarf' http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-36782752

Blog: EU Law Analysis, 13.07.16: Religious discrimination in the workplace: which approach should the CJEU follow? http://eulawanalysis.blogspot.co.uk/2016/07/religious-discrimination-in-workplace.html

The Guardian, 13.07.16: Senior EU lawyer backs French woman sacked for wearing hijab https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/jul/13/european-court-backs-french-women-sacked-hijab-asma-bougnaoui

The New York Times, 13.07.16: European Court Backs Woman Dismissed in France for Wearing Head Scarf http://www.nytimes.com/2016/07/14/world/europe/france-head-scarf-court.html?_r=0

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