Sikhs across the United Kingdom (UK) will no longer face the prospect of disciplinary action for wearing turbans in workplaces after new rules come into force today.
Sikh groups campaigned for years to close a loophole in UK employment legislation which meant that Sikhs were exempt from safety headgear only in high-risk areas, such as construction sites.
An amendment was introduced to the Deregulation Bill by the UK government to close that loophole. Since 1989, Sikhs working in the construction industry have been exempt from rules requiring head protection but because of the legal loophole those in less dangerous industries, such as those working in factories and warehouses, were not. This meant that Sikhs in many jobs who chose to wear turbans rather than the required head protection could be at risk of disciplinary action or even dismissal.