Weaver’s initiative to ban mandatory high heels passes

Weaver’s initiative to ban mandatory high heels passes
April 7th, 2017
For immediate release

VICTORIA B.C. – Last month on International Women’s Day, MLA Andrew Weaver tabled a bill that would ensure employers do not set varying footwear requirements for their employees based on gender, gender expression or gender identity. As a result, for example, this bill would prevent employers from requiring select employees to wear high-heeled shoes in the workplace.

“When I first tabled this bill it went viral and received media coverage around the world. Forcing female employees to wear high-heeled shoes, especially when their male colleagues are wearing flat shoes, is archaic and this change is clearly overdue,” said Weaver.

Today Weaver, leader of the B.C. Green Party, welcomed the news that the government has amended the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation under the Workers Compensation Act to include that “potential for musculoskeletal injury” must be considered in determining appropriate footwear.

“Over the last month, my office has been inundated with messages from people in countless sectors sharing their experience of being forced to wear heels at work. Waiters, bartenders, lawyers, people in the retail and hospitality industry wrote in to my office. I have even heard from people who work within the B.C. Legislature! They talked about sexism, objectification, bleeding feet, sore knees, hips, and backs, long term damage, and called for this practice be officially changed.”

“We are very far from an inclusive, gender-equal province. But this is an important step (taken in work-appropriate shoes of our choosing) in the right direction.” said Weaver.

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Media contact
Mat Wright, Press Secretary
+1 250-216-3382 | mat.wright@leg.bc.ca