Employment and Racial Discrimination

My parents came to Australia from Lebanon 6 years ago. As newly arrived migrants starting a new life with four kids it's financially tough for my parents. My father works two jobs and my mother who has limited English stays at home to look after us kids. Coming here when I was 8 years old I picked up English quickly and much to my parents horror I speak English with too much of an "Aussie" accent. To help my parents out I decided to look for a casual/part-time job with a large fast food chain.

As a young Muslim Lebanese woman I wear a hijab that covers my hair, but my face can be seen. It is with a hijab that I approached five fast food stores only to be turned down despite having good communication skills and work experience.

Australia is my home, I have spent more that half of my life here and do not like to think of it as being a racist country, but after six months of trying to find a job I got sick of it and took up a friend's suggestion to apply for a job without my hijab on. So I applied for another job but this time did not wear a hijab and to my surprise was rung back and offered a job. Once offered the job I told the manager that in accordance with my religious beliefs I usually wear a hijab and asked if this was okay. The employer responded by saying that I hadn't worn one in the interview so why did I want to wear one now, but that I should turn up at the job and he would consider the situation.

I was allowed to start the job and wear a white hijab in accordance with the uniform and if anything the hijab is hygienic keeping my hair out of the food.

As told by an 18 year Lebanese young person to the Western Young People's Independent Network.

Despite being a large employer of young people many fast food chain discriminate against young people who for religious reasons choose to wear a hijab, impacting on young people's employment opportunities. The Western Young People's Independent Network has received a number of similar complaints by refugee and migrant young people including discrimination based on their physical appearance.