Links and Documents

Best Workplace Policies and Practices: Accommodating the Workplace Needs of Muslim Women Wearing Hijab

(Adobe Acrobat PDF)

Canada is a multi-racial, multi-ethnic, and multi-religious society; therefore, it is important to increase awareness among business, labour and the general public of the need to create work environments which accommodate the workplace needs of a diverse workforce. Media, labour, and business can all contribute to creating such environments and raising awareness about the benefits of accommodating diversity in the workplace.

The mainstream and ethnic media can contribute by featuring stories that initiate the dialogue on issues affecting racial and religious minorities in the workplace and contribute to raising the public’s awareness. Labour can continue to play a leading role in creating a work environment which promotes human rights and equality by negotiating into contracts anti-discrimination and anti-harassment policies, and demands that accommodate the needs of racial and religious minorities.

Adopting good workplace policies and practices, such as anti-discrimination and anti-harassment policies, and accommodating the workplace needs of a diverse workforce makes good business sense. It can have a positive effect on the work environment, produce more loyal employees, and grant companies recognition for being socially responsible, a corporate identity that is increasingly “good for business.” As the review of GTA companies revealed, there are workplaces that have already adopted such policies and practices or have verbal agreements that accommodate the workplace needs of racial and religious minorities in general and Muslim women who wear hijab in particular.

The information in this Media Kit can be used to develop stories on how socially responsible companies in the GTA have adopted good workplace policies and practices, and accommodate the workplace needs of Muslim women wearing hijab. Such stories can include the experience of Muslim women wearing hijab at these companies, and the management perspective. The purpose of these stories is to encourage employers to adopt good workplace policies and practices, educate union members and promote acceptance of Muslim women wearing hijab in the wrokplace, and assist in developing or expanding policies and practices to meet the workplace needs of these workers and of a diverse workforce. More specifically, the Media Kit includes:

• Types of policies and practices companies have adopted and their relevance to meeting the workplace needs of Muslim women wearing hijab
• Profiles of 3 companies in the GTA which hire Muslim women who wear hijab, have good policies and practices, and accommodate the religious needs or dress requirements of Muslim women. The profiles include personal stories of Muslim women who wear hijab and work at these companies and the perspective of management at these companies, the companies motivation for, and benefits of adopting such policies and practices.
• The report “Best Workplace Policies and Practices - Accommodating the Workplace Needs of Muslim Women Wearing Hijab,” detailing the best policies and prctices of 14 companies in the GTA.
• A summary, taken from the study, “No Hijab Is Permitted Here”, of the types of discrimination Muslim women wearing hijab experienced in the manufacturing, sales and services sectors.

Language: English

Format: The guide and related documents are available for download in Adobe Acrobat PDF format.

Additional Information

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