19-year-old Sikh student wins fight against Ambulance Victoria’s beard policy

A 19-year-old Sikh paramedic student, Prabhjeet Gill of Monash University in Australia, won a case against Ambulance Victoria. He was asked to shave off his beard before the first day of his on-the-job training to meet PPE-mask requirements.

After he filed a formal complaint with the Australian Human Rights Commission, Ambulance Victoria revised its policy to allow cultural or religious beards.

Gill had requested permission to use the “Singh Thattha method,” an alternative for bearded individuals that allows them to wear a medical mask with the help of an elastic band.

Unwilling to compromise, the student accused Ambulance Victoria of "discrimination on the grounds of race and religion" and lodged a complaint with Australian Human Rights Commission. The case drew widespread attention.

Gill said the beard was “part of his identity,” and that having to shave would undermine his religious beliefs.

In a letter to the commission on November 24, Ambulance Victoria acknowledged the concerns raised by the student and Ambulance Victoria's failure to adopt his preferred method of mask fitting. "Perhaps unbeknownst to Mr Gill, Ambulance Victoria has reconsidered its position regarding the 'Singh Thattha' method of mask fitting for PPE (personal protective equipment) and has recently engaged with Monash Health to assist with this method of mask fitting upon request by an AV employee," the statement said.