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.
The organization said Monday it wants to see the city compensate and reinstate the 100 or so bearded Sikh guards who lost their jobs as a result.
The WSO said the city has been mandating security guards, who work for contractors like GardaWorld, ASP Security and Star World, wear N95 masks while on the job at congregate settings like respite centres since January.
The city confirmed employees and contractors working with its Shelter, Support and Housing Administration (SSHA) department must wear a N95 mask and they must be clean-shaven so the masks provide effective protection against COVID-19 transmission. However, the city said the WSO's complaint stems from private contractors failing to accommodate their own employees.
Sikh security guards have been struggling with the rule.
Shaving beard 'like peeling off my skin,' guard says
"I feel very humiliated," said Birkawal Singh Anand, who works for ASP Security.
"If you ask me to clean shave my beard, it's like peeling off my skin."
Anand says he applied for a religious accommodation when he was notified of the requirement last month, but was told that would mean being relegated to a lower position with the company with lower pay.
He says his previous position working as a security guard at city respite centres was recognized as a "skilled" job by the federal government and helped him work toward permanent residency. The new jobs offered, however, do not.
He said he and other guards — many who are also working toward permanent residency — have to choose between those new jobs, finding a different job, getting laid off, or shaving their beards.
CBC News has reached out to ASP Security and other companies with questions about how they are implementing the city policy.
In an email to CBC News, GardaWorld said all employees who were unable to meet this health and safety requirement set out by the city were offered "other and equivalent opportunities within the organization" until this measure is lifted.
Policy in light of pandemic restrictions
For Sikh devotees, leaving hair uncut is an important tenet of their faith, the WSO said.
Balpreet Singh, a lawyer with the organization, said Toronto's rule feels particularly discriminatory because this policy is being brought in while almost all other pandemic restrictions have been dropped in Ontario — including most mask mandates.
"These security guards served at the height of the pandemic without these rules, when things were at their worst, Singh said.
"But now when, you know, vaccines are very common and things are opening up, they're being told: 'No, you can't serve here because you've got a beard.'"
Singh says he's repeatedly contacted the city and council members. He said he sent an official letter to the city on June 7 to "work with its security contractors to find a solution."
City says it's reviewing situation
The City of Toronto said in an email statement that it's aware of the WSO's complaint and said all of the workers affected are employed by contractors and not its own corporate security division.
The city said the SSHA policy allows for accommodations for city employees, but employees of contractors seeking accomodations should have their requests assessed "in accordance with the contractors own human rights policies."
The WSO's Singh said his organization has attempted to work with contractors and contact the city in recent months to bring in alternative options to keep Sikh guards on the job and keep them healthy, but those efforts have been met with "nothing more than platitudes."
Singh said his organization will consider legal action if there's no change.
"This is clearly a violation of human rights protections in Ontario," he said.
Sikhs forced off the job due to City of Toronto rule that security guards can't have beards | CBC News
The organization said Monday it wants to see the city compensate and reinstate the 100 or so bearded Sikh guards who lost their jobs as a result.
The WSO said the city has been mandating security guards, who work for contractors like GardaWorld, ASP Security and Star World, wear N95 masks while on the job at congregate settings like respite centres since January.
The city confirmed employees and contractors working with its Shelter, Support and Housing Administration (SSHA) department must wear a N95 mask and they must be clean-shaven so the masks provide effective protection against COVID-19 transmission. However, the city said the WSO's complaint stems from private contractors failing to accommodate their own employees.
Sikh security guards have been struggling with the rule.
Shaving beard 'like peeling off my skin,' guard says
"I feel very humiliated," said Birkawal Singh Anand, who works for ASP Security.
"If you ask me to clean shave my beard, it's like peeling off my skin."
Anand says he applied for a religious accommodation when he was notified of the requirement last month, but was told that would mean being relegated to a lower position with the company with lower pay.
He says his previous position working as a security guard at city respite centres was recognized as a "skilled" job by the federal government and helped him work toward permanent residency. The new jobs offered, however, do not.
He said he and other guards — many who are also working toward permanent residency — have to choose between those new jobs, finding a different job, getting laid off, or shaving their beards.
CBC News has reached out to ASP Security and other companies with questions about how they are implementing the city policy.
In an email to CBC News, GardaWorld said all employees who were unable to meet this health and safety requirement set out by the city were offered "other and equivalent opportunities within the organization" until this measure is lifted.
Policy in light of pandemic restrictions
For Sikh devotees, leaving hair uncut is an important tenet of their faith, the WSO said.
Balpreet Singh, a lawyer with the organization, said Toronto's rule feels particularly discriminatory because this policy is being brought in while almost all other pandemic restrictions have been dropped in Ontario — including most mask mandates.
"These security guards served at the height of the pandemic without these rules, when things were at their worst, Singh said.
"But now when, you know, vaccines are very common and things are opening up, they're being told: 'No, you can't serve here because you've got a beard.'"
Singh says he's repeatedly contacted the city and council members. He said he sent an official letter to the city on June 7 to "work with its security contractors to find a solution."
City says it's reviewing situation
The City of Toronto said in an email statement that it's aware of the WSO's complaint and said all of the workers affected are employed by contractors and not its own corporate security division.
The city said the SSHA policy allows for accommodations for city employees, but employees of contractors seeking accomodations should have their requests assessed "in accordance with the contractors own human rights policies."
The WSO's Singh said his organization has attempted to work with contractors and contact the city in recent months to bring in alternative options to keep Sikh guards on the job and keep them healthy, but those efforts have been met with "nothing more than platitudes."
Singh said his organization will consider legal action if there's no change.
"This is clearly a violation of human rights protections in Ontario," he said.
Sikhs forced off the job due to City of Toronto rule that security guards can't have beards | CBC News
