The OHRC found that sexualized and gender-specific dress codes were common in restaurants, bars, and other service industries, either through formal regulations or informal pressure, creating an unwelcome and discriminatory employment environment for women. Female employees’ attire, makeup, and hair were often continually scrutinized to ensure the employees’ compliance with these regulations. In order to secure and maintain their jobs, the employees had to agree to the gendered dress codes and endure exposure to sexual harassment. If they did not agree to said codes, they faced the risk of losing their tips, shifts, and possibly their jobs. The OHRC urged employers to amend such discriminatory dress codes and also published FAQs for the public and businesses to refer to. The recommendations for businesses included: • When establishing dress codes, avoid appearance-based gender stereotypes or gender discrimination. • Consider a range of flexible apparel options that allow employees of/with any gender, gender identity or expression, religious belief, and physical or mental disability to choose their attire without feeling pressured or coerced. • Offer trousers as a uniform option for all female employees in all positions instead of requiring them to wear skirts. • Eliminate makeup requirements for women. 51 c) Cosmetics seller gender discrimination complaint, Taoyuan City Government A cosmetics company in Taoyuan City required its employees to wear employee, ordering the restaurant to compensate said employee and mandating that the restaurant’s management personnel complete online human rights training provided by the OHRC. See: McKenna v. Local Heroes Stittsville, 2013 HRTO 1117 (CanLII). 51 OHRC policy position on sexualized and gender-specific dress codes. See: https://www.ohrc.on.ca/en/ohrc-policy-position-sexualized-and-gender-specificdress-codes. 61