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Security instructor ‘was told not to wear kippah at work’
He also claims he was asked not to have an Israeli flag visible during video calls
January 13, 2022 12:03
He also claims he was asked not to have an Israeli flag visible during video calls
January 13, 2022 12:03A Jewish security instructor was allegedly told not to wear a kippah while giving training.
Krav Maga specialist Golan Levy, 50, from London, was allegedly asked to remove the head covering by his employer, the security services firm Securitas UK, after a complaint was made by one of its clients.
He also claims he was asked not to have an Israeli flag visible in the background during classes, which were being conducted remotely online.
He accused Securitas UK of discrimination and instructed lawyers to act after his three-month contract expired last month.
The Israeli national told the JC: “I felt very embarrassed that I’d been told not to wear the kippah.
“And, regarding my national flag, it’s like all my belief and all my feelings towards my faith, nationality, and how I’d been brought up, everything has been taken away from me, someone stepped on me.”
“It made me feel very bad for a few days,” he added.
Mr Levy said that he contacted the Community Security Trust (CST) last month after the feedback session with his ex-manager made him feel uncomfortable. Mr Levy said he usually wears a baseball cap over his kippah during the day, to prevent it falling off.
He said that he had never received complaints from clients about it or his Israeli flag before. On the CST’s advice, he raised the matter with his firm’s HR department, and demanded a written apology.
A spokesperson for Securitas UK said that a grievance had been raised and that an investigation was “currently underway”.
The CST called on Securitas UK to “resolve this situation and to treat all Jewish employees with dignity and respect”.
A Securitas UK spokesperson told the JC: “[We are] committed to treating all employees equally, fairly and with respect, dignity and common courtesy, irrespective of race, ethnic or national origin, religion, gender, sexual orientation, marital or parental status, disability or other distinguishing characteristics protected by applicable law and regulations.”