Protection of Cultural Identity – Internal Rules of the Employers and Their Anti-discrimination Aspects in the Decision Making Process of the Court of Justice of the EU

Abstract

The article deals with the recent judgments of the Court of Justice of the European Union that deal with the internal rules of the employers stipulating the neutrality principle of their employees. The neutrality principle prohibits the employee to wear any visible political, philosophical and religious symbols in the workplace. Such prohibition, may, however, be in conflict with the principle of non-discrimination within the meaning of the Directive 2000/78/EC. The article deals with the aspect the employers must take into account when they decide to issue internal rules requiring neutrality of their employees.