European court rules employers can ban women from wearing religious symbols

The European Court of Justice (ECJ) has ruled that companies can ban employees at work place from wearing religious or political symbols such as Islamic headscarf. BBC reports that the European top court confirmed such a policy must therefore also ban other religious insignia such as crucifixes, skullcaps and turbans. 

However, the court said that the ban must be based on internal company rules requiring all employees to dress neutrally. This is the court's first ruling on the wearing of headscarves at



work.

The court ruling was prompted by the case of a receptionist fired for wearing a headscarf to work at the security company G4S in Belgium. The issues of Muslim dress and the integration of immigrant communities has featured prominently in debates in several European countries in recent years. 

Austria and the German state of Bavaria have recently announced bans on full-face veils in public spaces.Rights group Amnesty International said today's rulings were disappointing.