No-Beard row
Toronto apologises over 'no-beard' policy, to reinstate terminated Sikh security guards
Toronto/IBNS: The city of Toronto has formally apologized to the World Sikh Organization of Canada (WSO) for “any delay” in reinstating the Sikh security guard whose services were terminated over a “no-beard” policy.
"Effective from Tuesday (local time) the city will immediately permit under-mask beard covers as a reasonable accommodation option for individuals who maintain facial hair as a tenet of their faith," an official statement available to the media said.
The authorities have also asked security service providers to accommodate any Sikh security guard employees who have requested religious exemptions and reinstate any employee whose employment was terminated.
This comes after the World Sikh Organization of Canada had demanded the City of Toronto change the rule requiring all security guards to be clean-shaven.
Toronto Sun had in its report cited WSO as saying that over 100 Sikh security guards had lost their positions in Toronto over the rule that requires them to be clean-shaven, so they can wear N95 masks.
WSO Legal Counsel Balpreet Singh was quoted by Toronto Sun as saying that private contractors that employed the guards told them that they were following city orders.
When the guards were told they could ask for an exemption based on religious requirements, companies either moved them to lesser-paying positions or laid them off rather than deal with the city’s demands, he said.
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