Nhf warns "don't discriminate"

The National Hairdressers’ Federation (NHF) is advising employers not to fall foul of discrimination laws. The warning comes in light of the on-going case concerning the Muslim hairstylist suing a London hairdresser on the grounds that she allegedly discriminated against her because of her religious headwear. Bushra Noah is claiming £34,000 in compensation from Sarah Desrosiers, owner of Wedge in Kings Cross, after being turned down for the job as a junior stylist. The 19 year-old claims the salon owner was “insulting and discriminated against her because of her headscarf.” Sarah Desrosiers denies the claim.Said Eileen Lawson, secretary general designate for the NHF: “This is a highly-important case that we know salon owners all over the land are keenly watching. Every business has a duty to comply with the Employment Equality (Religion or Belief) Regulations 2003. This says that all employers must ensure they do not allow direct or indirect discrimination on the grounds of age, sex, race or religion. But whether Wedge, in King’s Cross, where Noah sought employment, breached this when turning the applicant down because she would not remove her hijab has been the subject of heated debate in the industry and also in legal circles. Sarah, the salon’s owner, will need to objectively justify her reasons for turning Noah down. We await with fascination the results of the tribunal’s deliberations and will then issue advice accordingly.”