Headscarf hairdresser wins £4,000

A woman wearing a veil. An employment tribunal has awarded a Muslim teenager 4,000 pounds after a the owner of a hair salon refused to employ her because she was wearing a headscarf. Photo:Fethi Belaid/AFP

Danny Brierley, Evening Standard

A Muslim woman who was refused a job at a hairdressers because she wore a headscarf has won £4,000.

Bushra Noah accused Sarah Desrosiers, the owner of an " alternative" salon in King's Cross, of religious discrimination after failing to land a job at an interview in May last year. An employment tribunal panel dismissed the claim of direct discriminationbut said offence had been caused to the 19-year-old, who had applied for more than 20 salon jobs without success.

The central London tribunal was told Ms Desrosiers was persuaded to give her an interview but was shocked when she wore a headscarf.

She told Mrs Noah she needed stylists to showcase alternative hairstyles. The panel found Mrs Noah of Acton had been badly upset by the interview and awarded her £4,000 damages for "injury to feelings".

Ms Desrosiers, 32, said: "I never in a million years dreamt that somebody would be completely against the display of hair and be in this industry."

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The owner of a hair salon has been ordered to pay £4,000 compensation to a Muslim stylist who was turned down for a job because she wears a headscarf.

Bushra Noah accused Sarah Desrosiers of religious discrimination when she failed to offer her a job at her Wedge salon in King's Cross, central London.

An employment tribunal panel dismissed the 19-year-old's claim but upheld her complaint of indirect discrimination.

Ms Desrosiers said she needed stylists to showcase alternative hairstyles.

During the hearing Ms Noah, who lives in Acton, west London, told the tribunal that she was "devastated" that she was not offered the job of assistant stylist "due to my headscarf".

Urban image

Ms Desrosiers, 32, told the panel that Ms Noah lived too far away, but was persuaded to give her an interview in May last year.

When the applicant arrived for the interview she claimed the Canadian salon owner was clearly shocked by the fact she wore a headscarf.

I never in a million years dreamt that somebody would be completely against the display of hair and be in this industry

Sarah Desrosiers

Ms Desrosiers told the tribunal she was surprised it had not been mentioned earlier and expected her staff to reflect the "funky, urban" image of her salon.

The panel found that Ms Noah had been badly upset by the 15-minute interview .

She was awarded £4,000 damages for "injury to feelings".

In its judgment, the panel stated: "We were satisfied by the respondent's evidence that the claimant was not treated less favourably than the respondent would have treated a woman who, whether Muslim or not, for a reason other than religious belief wears a hair covering at all times when at work."

It added: "There was no specific evidence before us as to what would (for sure) have been the actual impact of the claimant working in her salon with her head covered at all times."

Speaking after the ruling the salon owner said: "I never in a million years dreamt that somebody would be completely against the display of hair and be in this industry. I don't feel I deserve it."

Ms Noah refused to comment on the matter.

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Muslim hairdresser 'devastated'

Bushra Noah went for the interview in March 2007
A Muslim teenager has told a tribunal that she was devastated she was not offered a job at a hair salon because she wears a headscarf.

Bushra Noah is suing the owner of the Wedge salon in King's Cross, north London, for religious discrimination.

Ms Noah claimed salon owner Sarah Desrosiers asked her in an interview if she always wore her headscarf and told Ms Noah that she felt uncomfortable.

Ms Desrosiers has denied discriminating against the teenager in March 2007.

Life-long dream

Ms Noah, who is 19 and lives in Acton, west London, said: "She asked about my experience in hairdressing, that took a few minutes, then focused on my headscarf and if I wore it all the time.

"She asked me when I took it off. Then she focused on the idea that I should have told her over the phone, she said it several times.

"Then she said how uncomfortable she felt with me being there."

The teenager told the tribunal in London she was "devastated" that she wasn't offered the job "due to my headscarf".

I didn't mind her asking the questions but her approach was different you know?

Bushra Noah
Ms Noah added that as a result she gave up her life-long dream of becoming a hairdresser and was now studying for a qualification in travel and tourism.

Admitting that Ms Desrosiers did not make any derogatory comment about her headscarf or religion, Ms Noah said: "I didn't mind her asking the questions but her approach was different you know?

"That's her opinion and the right of her own business. But she made me feel uncomfortable in the way she treated me."

When asked why she had waited two months before filing a grievance complaint against the salon, Ms Noah said: "At the time I was 18, I was newly married and having problems with my husband.

"Deciding whether I should or shouldn't go through with the legal procedures, it doesn't happen over day and night."

Ms Desrosiers, who was due to give evidence later on Tuesday, has said it was vital that customers should be able to see a stylist's hair.

The tribunal continues.