UK: Landmark victory in legal battle

Thursday, February 7, 2013

by Joseph DeCaro, Worthy News Correspondent

united_kingdom_map LONDON, ENGLAND (Worthy News)-- A Christian woman has won a court case concerning her right to visibly wear a cross in the workplace.

The European Court of Human Rights ruled in January that Nadia Eweida's right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion had been violated by British Airways.

Back in October 2006, BA informed Eweida that her cross violated its employee uniform code while bangles and hijabs worn by her Sikh and Muslim co-workers were somehow permissible.

Convinced that her employer should not be an “arbitrator of faith,” Eweida refused to conceal the necklace; supported by Barnabas Aid, they both began a legal battle that ended in the ruling on her behalf.

However, appeals of three other British Christians who also claimed discrimination in the workplace for their faith were rejected by the court. In a case similar to that of Eweida’s, former nurse Shirley Chaplin was asked not to wear her cross because of “health and safety” concerns, although Muslim hijabs and Sikh bangles were again allowed.