‘Sorry, We Don’t Hire People Wearing Headscarves’

 

(Malaysian Digest) – Being a country of multiracial background with diverse culture and religions, one may think it is simpler for a person to apply for a job here as companies or employers would have understood the unique ‘make-up’ of the country.

Unfortunately, this was not the case, especially if you are a Muslim woman who dons a headscarf, looking for a job at retail outlets in the city.

The victim, known as Ira, 24, was looking for a part-time job as a retail assistant at one of the largest retail assets in the heart of Kuala Lumpur, the Suria KLCC, but claimed she was turned down by several branded retail stores for wearing a headscarf.

Speaking to Malaysian Digest recently, not long after she had highlighted her ‘predicament’ on Facebook, expressed her disappointment that such incident actually took place in Malaysia.

“It was on a Monday, when I went job hunting with my mom, looking for a part-time position as a sales assistant at the retail stores in Suria KLCC. I only approached the stores which had put up job vacancy signages at their window display.

“Since there were job openings, I just went in and asked about them. To my dismay, they frankly told me they not hire people who cover up their hair,” she said.

Ira, from Kuala Lumpur, said she went to a number of large retail stores, such as Topshop, Esprit, and Nike, and a few smaller stalls, but eventually gave up her job search as she was disappointed over the same excuse given to her.

“It was really shocking that this happened and I think this matter should be taken seriously. Though I had posted my status on Facebook, I didn’t mean for it to go viral,” she said.

In the status update which Ira had posted on Facebook, dated Sept 2, a few hours after she went through the ordeal, Ira had highlighted how she was rejected by several stores with the same ‘shocking’ answer.

She also wrote her biggest disappointment was how she had lived in the United Kingdom for four years and even travelled across Europe, but had never felt disgraced over wearing the headscarf as she does in her own country.

Ira’s status update has reached close to 9,000 shares on the social media site, and had caught the attention of the public where many have expressed their discontent over the matter.

Meanwhile, mD checked out some of the stores she mentioned and it turned out to be true.

Overall, the stores claimed they had turned down job applications from women wearing headscarves as it was part of their ‘company policy’, whereas some which had put up job vacancy signages simply informed that they were not hiring or the post had been filled.

At the Nike store, our reporter, who don a headscarf, was outrightly rejected and the person on duty stated they do no hire a person who covers their hair.

The same answer was given by Esprit and our reporter was told it was the company’s policy. The retail supervisor even stated that unless the applicant was willing to take her headscarf off while working at the store, then they would be willing to hire her.

The person said there had also been cases where former employees had previously taken off their headscarves while working in the store by wore it again when they are off duty.

At Topshop, while the answer was not given in a direct manner, the person-in-charge said they do not usually hire people wearing the headscarf, but if the applicant could somehow change her style, they could consider it.

Efforts have been made to contact DNP Clothing Sdn Bhd, Esprit De Corp (Malaysia), and Nike Sales Malaysia Sdn Bhd, which manages the retail stores Topshop, Esprit, and Nike respectively, but at Press time, have yet to received any replies.