Man says City of Burnaby won’t hire him because he’s Sikh

BURNABY (NEWS 1130) — A Sikh man claims the City of Burnaby won’t hire him based on his race and religion, and has taken his case to B.C.’s Human Rights Tribunal.

Gurinder Mangat — who was born in India and works as a building inspector for another Lower Mainland municipality — says despite his experience, the city won’t even give him an interview. He claims to have applied for 10 jobs related to bylaw enforcement over the course of three-and-a-half years, with no success.

According to the complaint, his turban, beard and skin colour identify him as Sikh, and he says the City of Burnaby is discriminating against him because of it.

Mangat goes further than that — he says the city hired people who are white over him.

“He alleges that he has never received an interview for any of these positions, despite being qualified for them. Mr. Mangat further alleges the City has hired white employees into these positions who have less education and experience than he does, ” Tribunal Registrar and Member Steven Adamson wrote in a description of the complaint.

“Mr. Mangat alleges these positions went to lesser qualified white candidates. In my view, this same scenario acted out on numerous occasions supports the conclusion that the discrimination allegations in Mr. Mangat’s complaint are a continuing contravention of the Code.”

Mangat applied for positions as a plan checker, by-law enforcement coordinator, water conservation officer, and building inspector, in January, March, April and June of 2016; February, May and August of 2017; April and July of 2018; and in January 2019.

The claims have not yet been proven, but the Human Right Tribunal will hear his case.

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