Sacked Hindu British Airways worker wins right to wear nose stud at work

A Hindu worker of British Airways (BA) VIP lounge, who was sacked from her job for wearing a tiny nose stud, has been told that she can continue wearing it at work.

London, Oct 5 : A Hindu worker of British Airways (BA) VIP lounge, who was sacked from her job for wearing a tiny nose stud, has been told that she can continue wearing it at work.

Amrit Lalji (43) was devastated after she was dismissed for refusing to remove the nose stud. She said that wearing a nose stud was integral to her religious beliefs.

Lalji, who works for Eurest, which supplies food and services to BA's VIP lounge at Heathrow, was reinstated on Thursday after appealing against the decision.

The company admitted that it had 'misunderstood' the rules, and said Lalji would be resuming work on Sunday.

Lalji, who is employed as a cleaner and customer relations' worker said: "I had great support from the media, the union and my temple. It took me three months to get my job back, but I feel I should not have been put in that position in the first place."

"They agreed that I could start work again and wear my nose pin because I do not work in a catering area. I am happy to get my job back," she added.

"We have found that the rules relating to facial piercing are mandatory only in catering," a spokesman for Eurest said.

"Since Lalji is not engaged in catering, her dismissal resulted from a misunderstanding of the rules and is therefore unjustified," the Daily Mail quoted spokesman, as saying.

Hindu women usually have their nose pierced and fitted with a stud as part of the Shringar ritual when they marry. Lalji, is from Stanmore, North-West London, and has worn a stud for 25 years since her marriage to Devji, a 47-year-old carpenter.

ANI