Stockholm - A Swedish
court Monday ordered the country's labour agency to pay damages to an unemployed Muslim man who lost his benefits because he had refused to shake hands with a female job interviewer. He had visited the firm for an interview when looking for a
training position, and instead of shaking hands, the man laid his hand against his chest.
The Public Employment Services agency withheld his
unemployment benefit, saying his refusal to shake hands showed an unwillingness to work.
The court however ruled that the man had declined to shake hands with the woman on religious grounds, and his unemployment benefit should not have been withheld. It ruled that he was to be awarded damages of 60,000 kronor (8,000 dollars).
Equality Ombudsman Katri Linna welcomed the ruling.
"It is unreasonable that a person is denied
support since his religion requires a certain manner of greeting," Linna said.
"Sweden is a multicultural nation and we have to see that there are different ways of showing each other respect than shaking hands," she added.
