Swiss supermarket giant fires cashier over headscarf dispute

A cashier at a major Swiss supermarket chain was sacked without notice after she signed off work for two days following a dispute over her wearing a headscarf, Swiss local media reported on Wednesday.

According to daily 20 Minuten, the cashier with a migrant background, who has lived in Switzerland for years, had not worn a headscarf for a long time until she decided to wear one last July.

However, the newspaper said the woman, 42, first asked whether wearing a headscarf was permitted at Migros, the chain she worked for. (The chain is separate from the Turkish supermarket chain of the same name.)

"My boss told me that I wasn't allowed to come to work wearing a headscarf. Otherwise I would be sent home," 20 Minuten quoted her as saying.

Her superiors argued that according to the dress code, clothing must not contain any religious symbols, the report continued.

However, according to the newspaper, the woman was unhappy with the response. Other “employees were allowed to work with huge tattooed crosses on their hands," she said, adding: "I really feel discriminated against."

The woman said she asked Migros to be transferred to another department, but the managers turned her down.

She then signed off for the next few days because she no longer felt comfortable without her headscarf, the woman told 20 Minuten.

As a result, she was immediately dismissed without notice. According to the report, she is now planning to take Migros to court.

- History of discrimination

Carmen Hefti, media spokesperson for Migros, explained: "The dress code for cooperative store staff is regulated nationally, with room for cooperative or company-specific design".

According to Hefti, all employees who come into contact with customers at work are prohibited from wearing headgear.

She added: "This includes religious headgear, such as headscarves, turbans or kippas."

However, the media spokeswoman continued, Migros is currently in discussions on “adapting the dress code in some respects." The issue of head coverings in general is part of this, added Hefti.

In Switzerland, there is neither a national ban nor uniform regulations on the wearing of headscarves by Muslim women in the workplace.

In the past there have been repeated cases in individual Swiss cantons in which companies took action against employees wearing headscarves, with mixed outcomes.

In a 2016 ruling, a judge said headscarves are a cultural symbol in the Islamic tradition, not a simple fashion accessory. Respect for religious clothing, and therefore also the headscarf, is protected by Article 15 of the Swiss Federal Constitution.

Representatives of the Muslim community in Switzerland have repeatedly stated that such restrictions constitute a violation of fundamental rights and religious freedom.