International Employment Lawyer (IEL) quoted partner Louise Skinner in an article about a lawsuit in which a former flight attendant claimed discrimination after being asked to change her hairstyle, highlighting the importance for employers to carefully draft and communicate uniform policies to avoid discrimination.
Louise emphasized the importance of having fair, clearly communicated, and consistently applied nondiscriminatory policies with objective justifications for uniform rules.
“The decision is a reminder to employers of the importance of having fair rules that apply equally across the population, and which are applied consistently regardless of the personal characteristics of any individual,” Louise said, adding, “It also demonstrates the importance of clearly communicating expectations and implementing policies so that employees are aware of the standards they are reasonably expected to meet.”
“It is equally important for employers to have objective justification for the rules they impose with respect to uniform policies, such as on the grounds of health and safety or to promote a professional image, to mitigate the risk of indirect discrimination claims.”
Read the whole IEL article >>
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