Over 100 Sikh security guards lose jobs at City of Toronto security sites over rule that they need to be clean shaven, back on the job after WSO complaint

The City of Toronto abides by all human rights legislation and all contractors must also abide by the City’s Human Rights and Anti-Harassment/Discrimination Policy (HRAP), and all applicable human rights legislation.

The City was investigating a complaint from the World Sikh Organization of Canada that some of the City’s security guard contractors are not accommodating its employees who maintain facial hair for religious reasons and, therefore, cannot wear protective N95 respirators, which are required by public health directive in shelter settings where a COVID-19 outbreak is present. Today, the World Sikh Organization of Canada has made that complaint public and expressed their dissatisfaction at the City’s response thus far.

The World Sikh Organization (WSO) is demanding the City of Toronto change what it calls a "discriminatory" rule included in its contracts requiring all security guards to be clean-shaven.

Read the full article here - https://t.co/gzXHoFQT4r

— WSO (@WorldSikhOrg) July 4, 2022

Politicians Tim Uppal and Pierre Poilievre both expressed their disappointment in relation to the rule.

I agree with @PierrePoilievre This new rule is discriminatory and must be changed. https://t.co/Mmut67M6KN

— Tim S. Uppal (@TimUppal) July 4, 2022

The City itself has granted seven accommodation requests to its own employees who have sought religious exemptions in shelter settings and fully expects such accommodations, if requested by contract employees, to also be granted by contractors to those employees.

The City has directed these contractors to accommodate their employees who have requested religious exemptions and to reinstate any employee whose employment was terminated, immediately. The City has contracts with many large security guard organizations and is confident that these employees can be accommodated in other City settings, including shelters that are not in outbreak, if required. The City is working directly with security guard companies contracted to its shelter system to ensure these accommodations are provided and no contract employee is unable to work as a result of public health masking directives.

As part of its investigation, the City will be looking at its legal options, up to and including terminating the contracts of any contractors found to be in violation of City policy or human rights legislation. The City does not tolerate, ignore, or condone discrimination, and is committed to promoting respectful conduct, tolerance and inclusion, always.

City staff work to ensure policies are inclusive, and policies are assessed routinely to ensure they respect the rights and freedoms of all those who work for the City – be they full-time or part-time employees, or employees of contractors.

Mayor of Toronto, John Tory, condemned the law calling it discriminatory.

The City of Toronto and all of its contractors must uphold human rights and fully comply with all relevant legislation and City policy.

I firmly believe that no person should be discriminated against for their religious beliefs. pic.twitter.com/w6tnkDgD2B

— John Tory (@TorontosMayor) July 5, 2022

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