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Muslim woman doubles her claim against hair salon
Martin Bentham, Home Affairs Editor22 Jan 2008
A Muslim woman suing a salon owner for refusing her a hairdressing job because of her headscarf has more than doubled her claim for damages, after allegedly receiving hate mail.
Bushra Noah, 19, from Acton, claims Sarah Desrosiers, who runs the Wedge salon in King's Cross, behaved in a "high-handed, malicious, insulting or oppressive manner" by discussing the case in public.
She claims this caused media intrusion in her life, harassment and hate mail, and left her feeling "awkward and embarrassed". As a result, Ms Noah, who is suing Ms Desrosiers for religious discrimination, has now raised her claim for damages from just over £15,000 to more than £35,000.
Ms Desrosiers, 32, insists she rejected Ms Noah because it is essential that her employees display their hair.
The salon owner denies discrimination and says she will vigorously contest the new bid for increased compensation. She said: "I am not responsible for other people sending hate mail. I needed to highlight the case because I needed to find financial help to pay my legal bills.
"My lawyers have warned me that I might have to go personally bankrupt if I lose the case and now there is this attempt to get more money out of me. I think it is just totally wrong." She said she would have said the same to any person with headwear - whether it was a baseball cap or cowboy hat - and was dismayed that Ms Noah was "dragging her name through the mud" by effectively accusing her of being a racist.
Ms Noah, who had been turned down previously for around 25 other hairdressing jobs, said she decided to take legal action because she was distressed by Ms Desrosiers' comments at the interview.
Her claim for religious discrimination was due to be heard at a London employment tribunal this month but has now been delayed until March.
Reader views (12)
Most beauty related fields of work require a certain image to work there. I have never seen an overweight health instructor or an unfashionable fashion consultant. It is not a religious requirement to wear a headscarf, I know a lot of Muslim women who don't and I have seen plenty of Asian women working in hairdressers without a headscarf on . It is a choice and by interview 24, I think I would have concluded this was not the profession for me. Yet another stick to beat the non-Muslims with and I think it's a real shame. Maybe it was something else that stopped people from employing her. Unqualified? Bad attitude? We've all been refused employment somewhere along the line. The key is to look at oneself and see where one can improve, not choose a victim and sue. Why didn't she sue all 25 if this is the reason she feels she was refused? I would claim victimization if I were the salon owner! (Just noticed this is a 2 year old story so if anyone has an update, that would be great) 
- Uzume, At home, just by the back door., 26/04/2010 23:06
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I can honestly say I've seen a lot of women in the work place wearing head coverings, as long as it doesn't interfer in their duties. I find nothing wrong with a person wearing head covering. Why don't they just open up an Islamic Hairstyle Center and solve the issues. Sueing for not getting the job, well, someone wrote, she was turned down for twenty five already related jobs, so perhaps she is not qualified. If she was in Canada, she'd have better luck sueing - Canada - we are just too multicultural - and have degraded ourselves in morality in the last century.
- Ann Marie Bos, Canada, Ontario, 09/04/2010 03:49
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The person who cuts your hair usually does not cut her own so why should a woman who wears a headscarf NOT be allowed to work in a hair salon? What if a woman who had cancer and was bald applied for the same position. Would we say she was not qualified because she had cancer? Of course not.
- Alixianna, Victoria, Canada, 17/11/2008 23:53
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Ms. Noah just wanted the cash and saw the easy target. Considering that she has been to 25 other interviews for the same job, has she ever considered changing career. Perhaps to a nude model and then sue because her employers wouldn't give her the job for refusing to take her clothes off!
- Mike Wong, Birmingham, 17/06/2008 16:40
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The employer is totally in the right, this lady should not be allowed to sue her.
- Valerie Tilleke, London, 22/01/2008 14:12
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How pathetic! This shouldn't even be going to court. What a waste of time and money.
If anything, Ms Noah should be charged with wasting police time!
- Scott, London, 22/01/2008 14:07
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I feel so sorry for Ms Desrosiers. She should be able to employ the people she thinks are most suitable for her business without this sort of thing. How can you have a hairdresser who won't show her hair?
- Thalia, London, 22/01/2008 13:59
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This is a ludicrous case, and made all the more surprising by the fact that 25 other salons had turned her down, presumably for the same reason. It might have been better if she had recognised that people having their hair cut like to see the hair cuts of those wielding the scissors. I doubt many women would have their nails done by someone wearing gloves for the same reason.
I feel sorry for those who have been genuinely ill-treated at work, whose cases are delayed by this pointless claim.
- Richard, London, 22/01/2008 13:57
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This sort of claim should not be being considered by the courts. It makes my blood boil when somebody who has built up a business from nothing may lose it all becasue she has been targeted by this woman.
- Casper Slides, Bath, UK, 22/01/2008 13:51
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I hope she gets nothing. Ms Noah started this! Grrr, I hate it when people play the discrimination card - perhaps the salon owner should counter-sue her for something too.
- Charlie, London, 22/01/2008 13:47
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This is a no-brainer. The Muslim lady is 100% in the wrong, and the salon owner is 100% in the right - end of story. I hope the case gets summarily thrown out before any more public money is spent on it.
- Wpw, London, 22/01/2008 13:19
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Would this be the 'media intrusion in her life' that was caused when Bushra Noah sold her story to the newspapers?
- Joel Stern, London, UK, 22/01/2008 12:56
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