APPENDIX A.

WOMEN'S EMPLOYMENT
PLAN OF ACTION
1978-79

Introduction

The following three factors have necessitated the development of a dynamic employment strategy:

1. the greatly increased participation of women in the labour market;

2. the concentration of women generally into low paying jobs and into only a few occupational areas;

3. the increase in unemployment rates for young and prime age women.

These factors call upon the Committee's Labour Market programs to meet the employment related needs of women. In response, the Commission has developed the following objective and sub-objectives:

Objective

To actively promote the development of labour market conditions in which the economic potential of the female labour force is fully tapped and to support women workers in their pursuit of economically viable and self-fulfilling employment.

Sub-objective

1. to assist women in acquiring the skills and experience that will facilitate their entry and re-entry into the labour market;

2. to assist women in finding employment consistent with their qualifications and skills;

3. to assist individual women in making employment choices from the full range of occupations in demand on the Canadian labour market;

4. to assist employers in the identification and elimination of barriers to the recruitment and promotion of women;

5. to promote the employment of women in those better-paying industries and occupations in which they have traditionally been under-represented.

In line with these objectives, the Commission is pursuing the elimination of any discriminatory practice in the labour market that is based on sex and taking positive measures to redress the effects of past and present discriminatory conditions that have resulted in economic disadvantages for women.

Policy

As presently required by MA 8(19), the Commission requires its officers to refuse to fill discriminatory job orders. Requests are considered to be discriminatory when they deprive or tend to deprive a woman or group of women of any employment opportunity on the basis of sex.

Clients must be informed of their right under relevant federal and provincial legislation to be considered for employment without regard to sex, and of the correct procedures for presenting their complaints to the appropriate authorities.

Employers' specifications or preferences with regard to the sex of the persons to be referred, that are not based on a bona fide occupational requirement, will be brought to the attention of the employer with a recommendation that the discriminatory conditions be removed.

Where the employer does not respond positively to this recommendation, Commission officials will refuse to assist the employer to find workers for the position or positions involved.

As employer's request will not be considered discriminatory if it is made in order to adopt or carry out a special program, plan or arrangement designed to prevent disadvantages that are likely to be suffered by, or to eliminate or reduce disadvantages that are suffered by any woman or group of women when these disadvantages are based on or related to their sex.