Swedish Muslim woman denied job for refusing manager's handshake

A Swedish Muslim woman has won thousands of dollars in compensation after a job interview was ended because she refused to shake a prospective employer's hand.

Farah Alhajeh, declined to shake hands with the interviewer when applying for a job as an interpreter.

Instead, the 24-year-old placed her hand over her heart, a common alternative greeting.

The male manager took offence and ended the interview immediately, and Ms Alhajeh was walked out of the office.

Ms Alhajeh then took the company to Sweden's labour court, where she was awarded nearly $6000 in compensation.

"The money was never important," she told SVT.

"The important thing for me was that it was right."

The ruling is a first for the nation.

Many Muslims avoid physical contact with non-family members of the opposite sex.

"I believe in God, which is very rare in Sweden... and I should be able to do that and be accepted as long as I'm not hurting anyone," Ms Alhajeh said after the ruling.

"In my country... you cannot treat women and men differently. I respect that.

"That's why I don't have any physical contact with men or with women.

"I can live by the rules of my religion and also at the same time follow the rules of the country that I live in."