High heels to get the boot

Clark might adapt Weaver bill to free B.C. women from burden unless it also applies to men

VANCOUVER — A campaign to ban employers from requiring female workers to wear high heels on the job has gained the backing of British Columbia Premier Christy Clark.

The intent of a private member’s bill that would make it illegal for businesses to enforce footwear requirements based on gender in B.C. received support from Clark, who promised action by the provincial government.

“In some workplaces in B.C., women are still required to wear high heels on the job,” Clark wrote on her verified Facebook page. “This isn’t just old-fashioned; in 2017, it’s unacceptable.”

Green Party Leader Andrew Weaver, the MLA for Oak BayGordon Head, introduced the private member’s bill on International Women’s Day (March 8) over health and safety concerns.

High heels can increase the risk of slipping and falling on kitchen floors or restaurant stairs, and cause back problems, bunions and bloody feet, he said in an interview on Monday.

“It’s a no-brainer. I can’t think of a compelling argument anywhere to say restaurant owners should be allowed to require women to wear high heels in a restaurant,” Weaver said. “It just doesn’t make sense.”

Keegan Chambers works at a restaurant in Vancouver where female servers were required to wear heels that were at least 2.5 centimetres tall before it was recently dropped to about 1.25 centimetres.

“Everybody’s feet hurt all the time,” she said, adding that wearing heels affects safety, efficiency and job performance.

“If I could wear running shoes, I would be a way better waitress.”

The new rules wouldn’t ban heels from all workplaces, but an employer requiring staff to wear them must have the same requirement for all staff — male and female.

“You can have a dress code, but the dress code must apply to all,” Weaver said, comparing the new regulations with rules that require everyone on construction sites to wear steel-toed boots.

It’s unclear whether Clark will back Weaver’s bill or bring in separate legislation. She told a news conference her government is looking at the “quickest and simplest” way to implement the change.

“We’d like to get on with it because I think, you know, women shouldn’t be forced to wear high heels by their employers. It’s not fair. It’s discriminatory.”

Weaver said he’s not surprised that Clark jumped on board.

“I literally can’t find anyone who opposes this. By and large, people don’t realize this is still a thing in 2017,” he said.

Opposition NDP Leader John Horgan said he also doesn’t have a problem with Weaver’s bill.