Ghent University Study Discovers Religious Disadvantage in Belgian Recruitment

Ghent (Brussels Morning Newspaper) September 14, 2026 – Job applicants in Belgium who disclose religious involvement on their CVs face measurable disadvantages during the hiring process, according to a comprehensive study by Ghent University researchers. The investigation revealed that voluntary work with a church or mosque leads to lower candidate evaluations compared to secular community involvement. Researchers concluded that these penalties stem primarily from recruiter concerns regarding peer and customer acceptance rather than doubts about individual candidate competence. The release of the empirical findings coincides with the dismissal of a Flemish special education teacher following her refusal to adhere to a newly introduced provincial ban on visible religious symbols.

Ghent University Investigation Measures Impacts of Religious Affiliation in Job Applications

A new scientific study conducted by Ghent University (UGhent) researchers Louise Devos, Louis Lippens, and Stijn Baert has established that active religious engagement can serve as a distinct disadvantage for candidates navigating the Belgian labor market. Published in a detailed research paper, the study isolated religious signals from ethnic background to determine whether religious identity independently influences recruitment decisions.

Historically, academic literature has struggled to differentiate pure religious discrimination from racial or ethnic bias, as religious signals on job applications frequently overlap with minority ethnic identifiers. To overcome this methodological challenge, the UGhent research team deployed a preregistered experimental framework involving 177 professional Belgian recruiters based across Brussels, Flanders, and Wallonia.

The participating professional recruiters were tasked with assessing a series of four standardized, fictional job applicant profiles. This process yielded a total of 708 individual candidate evaluations. The experimental design systematically varied specific profile attributes, including candidate names associated with ethnic majority or minority groups, visual religious symbols, and voluntary activities affiliated with either Christian, Muslim, or non-religious secular organizations.

Empirical Findings Detail Lower Ratings for Applicants Disclosing Religious Volunteering

The statistical analysis compiled by the Ghent University team revealed a significant reduction in hiring scores for candidates who listed voluntary work for a religious institution. Applicants whose resumes detailed volunteer experience at a local church or mosque received consistently lower evaluations than otherwise identical candidates who noted voluntary service for a secular community group.

When evaluated on the standardized 11-point hiring scale utilized for the study, candidates with religious volunteer experience incurred a statistically significant penalty of 0.676 points compared to their secular counterparts.

Key empirical takeaways identified within the research findings include:

• Parity Across Faiths: The study recorded no statistically significant difference in hiring penalties when comparing candidates who engaged in Christian religious volunteering against those involved in Muslim religious volunteering.

• Impact of Visual Symbols: The primary statistical analysis found that displaying visual religious symbols, such as a Christian cross or an Islamic headscarf, did not produce a statistically significant net effect on candidate ratings on its own, provided religious intensity was not further signaled.

• Religiosity and Interview Odds: Interview ratings and the likelihood of receiving a job invitation declined progressively as recruiters attributed higher levels of personal religiosity to a candidate profile.

• Perception of Competence Versus Acceptance: Evaluators did not judge religious candidates as less diligent, capable, or honest. Instead, candidate scores suffered because recruiters anticipated that colleagues, staff members, and external clients would be less willing to work alongside them.

The authors noted that recruiter hesitation is largely driven by secondary perceptions—specifically how an applicant’s potential workplace interactions might be received by surrounding teams and customer bases.

East Flanders Provincial Authority Dismisses Special Education Teacher Over Neutrality Rules

The publication of the Ghent University research comes alongside an ongoing dispute in the Flemish public education sector regarding religious expression in the workplace. The provincial government of East Flanders has formally dismissed Hadija Amajoud, a primary school teacher, following her refusal to remove her Islamic headscarf while teaching. The decision is believed to mark the first instance in Flanders where an educator has been explicitly terminated from a provincial teaching post for wearing a religious head covering.

Amajoud had been employed within the provincial education network since September 1, 2022, teaching at Kiempunt Campus Assenede, a specialized primary school facility located in the municipality of Assenede. Reporting confirms that she was wearing her headscarf when she originally entered service at the institution. During her tenure, her teaching performance was evaluated positively, and she demonstrated fluent command of the Dutch language. On January 1, 2024, she was awarded a permanent civil service appointment.

The regulatory framework governing provincial personnel was updated on June 27, 2024, when the East Flanders provincial executive introduced tightened neutrality regulations. Effective September 1, 2024, the amended staff code explicitly prohibited employees from wearing visible religious, philosophical, or political symbols during professional duties, excluding teachers responsible for designated religious or philosophical instruction courses. Similar rules were implemented to restrict pupils in provincial schools from wearing visible religious attire.

Dismissal Proceedings and Compromise Proposals Highlight Regulatory Friction

Following the enforcement of the updated code of conduct, provincial authority monitors tracked compliance across educational facilities. When instructed to comply with the prohibition, Amajoud declined to remove her headscarf, prompting disciplinary proceedings that culminated in the termination of her contract and the revocation of her permanent appointment.

During formal hearing procedures, Amajoud submitted alternative proposals intended to meet workplace neutrality standards without forfeiting her personal identity. Among her suggestions was a commitment to replace her traditional headscarf with alternative, non-traditional coverings.

Key elements surrounding the dismissal and administrative response include:

• Proposed Modifications: Amajoud proposed wearing a neutral turban or bandana in the classroom instead of a conventional hijab, requesting permission to utilize a neutral head covering during school hours.

• Administrative Rejection: The provincial authorities did not accept the proposed headwear modifications as compliant with the explicit ban on visible ideological and religious symbols.

• Personal Impact: Commenting on the termination, Amajoud stated that she lost her employment, regular income, financial security, and permanent civil service tenure. She emphasized that her professional track record demonstrated an ability to maintain professional standards and serve all students while preserving her personal identity.

• Legal and Trade Union Appeals: Following the formal dismissal order, trade union representatives acting on Amajoud’s behalf initiated official appeal procedures to challenge the termination.

Broader Context Surrounding Workplace Neutrality Policies Across Belgium

The intersection of academic research and local enforcement reflects broader legal and political debates regarding workplace neutrality policies in Belgium. Public institutions, municipal authorities, and private employers across the Brussels-Capital Region, Flanders, and Wallonia continue to navigate conflicting interpretations regarding strict secular neutrality versus freedom of religious expression.

Legal standards governing the enforceability of neutral dress codes in Belgian workplaces have been shaped by rulings from both national tribunals and the European Court of Justice. Under established European jurisprudence, public administration entities and private companies are permitted to establish internal policies restricting visible political, philosophical, or religious symbols, provided those regulations are applied consistently, neutrally, and systematically to all staff members without direct discrimination.

However, civil rights advocacy groups and labor unions maintain that broad bans on religious headwear disproportionately affect specific demographic groups, particularly Muslim women entering or remaining in public administration and education roles. Conversely, proponent organizations and public administration executive boards argue that strict, visual neutrality among civil servants and public school educators is essential to ensure that municipal and provincial services remain visibly impartial toward all citizens regardless of belief.

The empirical data from Ghent University indicates that structural challenges persist within the initial recruitment phase of the private and public job markets. As research underscores how implicit perceptions of peer acceptance influence hiring decisions, cases such as the termination in East Flanders continue to test the boundary between statutory neutrality frameworks and individual employment protections across the Belgian state.