VANCOUVER, British Columbia, April 1 (UPI) -- A human rights grievance has been filed against a Canadian forestry company demanding Sikhs wear hard hats while working in British Columbia.
Kalwant Singh Sahota has worked for Interfor since 2004 and Mander Singh Sohal has been with the company since 1988. Both wore traditional religious turbans at work.
In November, the company changed its policy and demanded they wear hard hats, the Vancouver Sun reported.
Lawyer David Perry is representing both men with their claim filed with the British Columbia Human Rights Tribunal that their jobs are threatened because of their religious tradition. He told the newspaper Interfor has until April 9 to file its response.
Sahota said Sikhs in the province have been exempted from wearing helmets on bicycles and motorcycles and fought with the Allies in two world wars wearing turbans.
"This issue keeps coming and going, coming and going. There should be a permanent solution," he told the Sun.
