Being a receptionist is still a woman's job. That's according to a job posting from Vestra Inet in Toronto. The job description went up on LinkedIn 13 days ago and seemed innocuous. They want someone to write website content for new clients, update texts to make them SEO-friendly, do social media and fill in on the reception desk.
So that's two or three jobs in one. But it's the last line that really draws the eye:
"Please note that the Position requires filling in the responsibilities of a receptionist, so female candidates are preferred."
Not only is it ridiculous, it's illegal to discriminate on gender.
Receptionist jobs were and are to a extent still filled by women because when women entered the workforce, it was one of the few jobs available to them. A receptionist is a vital part of a company, holding it together. They are the first and last impression of a business and they are the ones who know all the secrets.
However, there's nothing in a receptionist job that is strictly coded female. We spoke to the Ministry of Labour who put us onto the Human Rights Commission. As expected, this job posting cannot specify a gender for the receptionist position. That's clearly stated in section 23 of the Human Rights code.
Vestra Inet is going to have to indulge their Sterling-Cooper fantasies elsewhere.
