Woman fired from her job for shaving her head!

http://www.nationalpost.com/news/canada/human+rights+case+fired+bal...

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/manitoba/story/2011/01/27/mb-shaved-head-f...


This woman doesn't have alopecia but she was fired for having a bald head. This sort of stuff burns me up. Same thing happened in Owen Sound, Ontario back in 2008 and I emailed the restaurant owner at that time. I guess I'll try to track down this Manitoba restaurant. I realize the woman doesn't have alopecia but in essence - the message is - you have a bald head, you can't work here. WRONG!!

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Permalink Reply by Trish on January 30, 2011 at 4:53pm
That is absolutely ridiculous!!! Horrible people out there!!
Permalink Reply by David B327 on February 14, 2011 at 3:37pm
Absolutely! This is pure discrimination and I hate it.
Permalink Reply by Tuesday on January 30, 2011 at 9:13pm
I'm going to contact the restaurant (I found the name in a couple of online articles on this issue) and politely educate them about alopecia.
Permalink Reply by Mary on January 30, 2011 at 10:14pm
Horrible...but fyi, when I tried to go to the above news links, they both said that the page does not exist.
Permalink Reply by Paige A Schuck on January 30, 2011 at 11:56pm
ya i cant go to work with out my wig on i have to have it on cant wear a hat or a bandana or they wont let me work..
Permalink Reply by Mary on January 31, 2011 at 12:09am
I thinks that's a violation of the law, isn't it? The Americans With Disabilities Act. Hasn't this been litigated by someone on AW? I just Googled it, and found this earlier post on AW:

http://www.alopeciaworld.net/profiles/blogs/a-positive-alopecia-moment
Permalink Reply by Tuesday on January 31, 2011 at 1:43am
That's an interesting issue you mention in your attached link. I'm Canadian and this event happened in Manitoba. (I live in OntariO.) From what I Read in the online sources, the Manitoba Human Rights Commission won't investigage the woman's human rights claim because she voluntarily shaved her head.
http://www.nationalpost.com/news/canada/human+rights+case+fired+bal...

I'm complicating the issues arisen in this situation by transferring my thoughts about alopecia to it. I find it upsetting that people are so upset by women without hair they fire them from their jobs.
Permalink Reply by kastababy on February 1, 2011 at 10:49pm
Yep Mary, that was me! I did my research years ago when the law was first passed, and it falls under the precedent that just as an employer cannot force a cancer patient to cover his/her head when they experience hair loss due to chemotherapy, neither can they force an alopecian to do the same, as they are both forms of medical hair loss and the physical disability is the same (in this case, the inability to grow hair.) As such, employers must make reasonable accommodations for these employees, which in this case is the freedom to cover their heads or not, according to their comfort level.

Since this incident happened in Canada, I've always wondered -- Does Canada have an equivalent of the Americans with Disabilities Act, and if so, how does the law apply to medical hair loss for cancer? If allowances are made for cancer patients, it would follow that since alopecia is also medical hair loss, it would be covered under the same provisions. If no such law exists, why not start a grass-roots movement to get a similar law passed in the Canadian Parliament?? It only takes one person to start a revolution....
Permalink Reply by Angie P on January 31, 2011 at 4:18pm
This truly sucks. But, unfortunately, if a person is a wage-slave without a contract, they're pretty much screwed (in the US anyway).

Except for my time in the military, I've always been an "at-will" employee. I can be terminated for any reason, or no reason. If I just coincidentally got sent home the day after shaving, it would be incumbent upon me to prove it was discrimination. At least she actually had some modicum of proof by them telling her it was her appearance that is the problem. Hopefully, someone with time for a pro bono case will assist her.



My question is, what are the patrons of that restaurant going to do? Once this story broke, there should not have been a soul in that place. Not for a quick snack, a cup of coffee, NOTHING!

It's up to us to let people know we will not stand for this. Voice your opinion and disgust with your dollars!
Permalink Reply by David B327 on February 22, 2011 at 1:02pm
Completely agree. What is so disturbing here is just how easy it is to sack someone, especially in the current economic climate. Fortunately for me I have a contract and am a member of a union - and I was bald when I was taken on.
Permalink Reply by kastababy on February 1, 2011 at 10:41pm
The best thing that ever happened in the US was the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act in 1990. You best believe that I go to work daily with my bald head there for everyone to see! I work in a bank too; nowhere in the bank's company policies and procedures is there a statement that says that I have to cover my head.

For that reason I keep an "essentials" kit for any HR department for any job I work at: A signed letter from my doctor explaining what alopecia is and why my head is bald or why I have a scarf on my head (for the cold weather), and the business card of my attorney and a letter reminding HR that alopecia is a covered condition under the Americans with Disabilities Act and any attempt to make me cover my head unwillingly is a direct violation of the law and subject to legal action. I would recommend anyone with alopecia keep the same kit with them at all times too!
Permalink Reply by Tuesday on February 2, 2011 at 4:29am
That's interesting stuff, Kastababy. I'll check into the legislation in Canada. I'm guessing that we DO have similar legislation. But - as the Manitoba Human Rights Commission said - their issue is that the woman voluntarily shaved her head - so in their eyes - she has neither disability or medical hair loss. So, I'm guessing that as a person making a cosmetic decisions, that is why the law wouldn't protect her. Which I still think sucks because her heart was in right place. And I don't like anyone being fired because they are bald and perceived as being "bad for business".

I'll check into the legislation and update this thread ... =!!!! :)

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