SAS to Headscarf-Wearing Woman: Take It Off or Seek Another Job

23-year-old Aye Alhassani had completed several tests and a group interview with SAS, before being invited to an individual interview at Arlanda Airport, during which she was urged to take off her headscarf due the fact that SAS had a uniform policy banning staff from wearing religious symbols.

"The recruiter asked if I could take care of the veil, that it was an ultimatum to get the job with SAS. This left me no options," Aye Alhassani told Swedish national broadcaster SVT. "What I felt is that it was discriminatory and wrong in many ways. It stops both companies and people from developing. I believe it is ignorant and completely wrong," Alhassani said.

In addition to what she called "discrimination," Alhassani was irked by the fact that she was forced to go through two unnecessary stages, as she specifically attached a photo and a video of herself clad in headdress in her resume to make her attitude clear. According to SAS, the company wanted to give Alhassani the choice of discarding the veil if she wanted the job.

​"At SAS, we have uniform rules for our staff working in the air and on the ground, which means everyone should have a uniform outfit. These rules apply to all our employees, in all countries, regardless of religion, ethnic background, gender, or political opinion. Only the garments and accessories included in SAS uniform are allowed," SAS Sweden Press Manager Fredrik Henriksson told SVT, referring to the March verdict by the European Court of Justice, which allowed employers to deny jobs to people who bear visible religious symbols.

Aye Alhassani said she was going to report the incident to the Anti-Discrimination Ombudsman (DO). However, DO Press Secretary Clas Lundstedt informed SVT that DO already launched an investigation of its own accord, before receiving any notification. Lundstedt said it was yet too early to say whether the EU verdict covered this case.

In addition, Alhassani slammed older pictures of herself, where she does not wear the veil and which are being circulated in Swedish social media against her will.

"The pictures spread are from 2009 and 2013. One image comes from a blog and the other from Pinterest," Alhassani told SVT, explaining her decision to report these cases to police.

Other Swedish companies, however, are known to have integrated the veil into their uniform. At Max Burger chain, neutral-colored headdresses are even provided for the Muslim staff, since no private clothes are allowed. Religious symbols are also perfectly okay with the state-owned airport company Swedavia.

"We allow religious headdress, it is not an issue for us. Of course, it should not cover the face, but otherwise it is fully permitted," Swedavia spokesman Tove Möller told SVT.

SAS Press Director Frederik Eriksson said that it was "no easy matter," which is why SAS adopted a "neutral" uniform.

On May 1, a demonstration by hijab-clad female Muslim protesters was held in Stockholm sporting such slogans as "My veil, my choice" and "My hijab = none of your business," Swedish news outlet Nyheter Idag reported.

Never miss a story again — sign up to our Telegram channel and we'll keep you up to speed!