A man is refused an interview for a job as a librarian because the supervisor thinks women make better librarians. A woman is not promoted because she would be supervising male staff. Nova Scotia's Human Rights Act protects women and men from such discrimination because of their gender. When a negative judgment or decision is made about people because of their sex and not their merit, it's called sexism. Such discrimination is often combined with sexual harassment or discrimination because of sexual orientation, pregnancy, or marital and family status.
Employers can enforce dress codes and grooming standards.
But, the employer must remember that some employees can't follow the code because of their religion, culture, or disability. Dress codes and grooming standards can be different for women and men but they should be comparable. For example, a dress code might say men can't have long hair and women with long hair are expected to keep it tidy. Complaints of gender discrimination and sexual harassment will be accepted if the employer requires the employees to wear sexually revealing outfits. The Human Rights Commission can make an exception when it is satisfied that there are good reasons for it.