Lawsuit against STIB for discrimination against a veiled woman

Belgian news outlet Le Soir reported that a lawsuit was filed by Unia and the League of Human Rights against the Brussels Society of Public Transport (STIB) for discrimination against a veiled woman during the hiring process.

The complainant is a lawyer. She applied for two positions, one from Legal Officer and the other from Business Analyst, two functions that are not in contact with the public, and in both cases she was not hired. Unia and the League of Human Rights ensure that her assessment was good. Thus, the complainant believes that the reason she was not hired was her intention to keep her veil.

So, last May, Unia with the League of Human Rights introduced to the Labor Court an “action to stop discrimination” against the STIB, which is the largest employer in Brussels.

The STIB challenges this version of the facts: “If the person was not hired, it is because she did not have the skills required,” insists Francoise Ledune, Stib’s spokesman.

After the exchange of a number of “sets of conclusions” of the different parties, the hearing is scheduled for 23 April. The court will then have to estimate whether it is a case of discrimination or not.