BA’s mixed religious message
Reports from the UK say that British Airways has suspended a Christian woman who wears a necklace with a crucifix to work, even though it allows Muslims and Sikhs to wear headscarves and turbans.
Nadia Eweida, 55, told the UK Daily Mail that she decided to sue her employer for religious discrimination after having been suspended without pay for three weeks, saying, “I will not hide my belief in the Lord Jesus”. “British Airways permits Muslims to wear a headscarf, Sikhs to wear a turban and other faiths religious apparel, but only Christians are forbidden to express their faith.”
Ms Eweida, a British Airways employee for seven years, works at the BA check-in counter at London’s Heathrow Airport and in a statement, British Airways said: “The case is ongoing, and is still under investigation, and as such it would be inappropriate to discuss it in detail. An appeal is due to be heard next week.
They added, “British Airways does recognise that uniformed employees may wish to wear jewellery including religious symbols. Our uniform policy states that these items can be worn underneath the uniform”. “There is no ban, the rule applies for all jewellery and religious symbols on chains and is not specific to the Christian cross.” “Other religious items such as turbans, hijabs and bangles can be worn as it is not practical for staff to conceal them beneath their uniforms.”
The Daily Mail said Ms Eweida, whose father is an Egyptian Coptic Christian and whose mother is English, was ordered last month by a manager at Heathrow to remove her cross or hide it beneath a company cravat.
She then asked for permission to wear the chain but was refused.
According to the newspaper, BA customer service manager Caroline Girling told Ms Eweida in a letter: “You have been sent home because you have failed to comply with a reasonable request, “You were asked to cover up or remove your cross and chain which you refused to do”.
Report by The Mole
John Alwyn-Jones
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