All talk and no walk. That best describes the Wynne government’s wobbly stance on the issue of employers forcing workers to wear high heels on the job.

For the last two years the Ontario Human Rights Commission has raised the issue, warning employers they may be violating the province’s human rights code with dress codes that mandate high heels as part of the uniform.

But when pressed for legislation to protect workers from exploitation on the issue, the Liberal government wrongly ignored the matter. Former women’s issue minister Tracy MacCharles, for example, suggested that women “have complaint options if that’s the route they need to go.”

That neatly ignored the fact that female employees have long pointed out that they risk losing their jobs or having their hours reduced if they dare raise concerns.

Nor has current Status of Women Minister Indira Naidoo-Harris taken a stronger stand. She simply stated this year that “places of work should not be demanding that women wear something they’re not comfortable wearing.”

No kidding. But some (notably bars and restaurants) do. So where’s the legislation to protect employees?

Not coming from the ministers. Instead, Liberal MPP Cristina Martins had to introduce a private member’s bill this week to ban employers from forcing workers to wear heels on the job. It should receive all-party support when it comes up for debate on Thursday.

The issue has been debated for many years, and for just as long most governments have ignored it even as they passed legislation to protect the feet of, say, construction workers.

Former B.C. premier Christy Clark’s government was a notable exception. It banned mandatory high heels in the workplace last April with a simple amendment to that province’s Workers’ Compensation Act.

Martin’s bill would “prohibit employers from requiring an employee to wear footwear that is not appropriate to the protection required for their work,” by making changes to the Occupational Health and Safety Act.

That doesn’t mean women can’t choose to wear high heels. It just means that can’t be a requirement of the job.

That’s a step in the right direction. As James Hill, president of the Ontario Podiatric Medical Association notes, wearing high heels can cause bunions, musculoskeletal pain and other injuries.

It’s high time women were protected. A feminist government like Wynne’s should have taken action on this issue years ago.

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