Human Rights Advocacy
Workplace Discrimination
Have you been subject to discrimination in your workplace? If you are an employee of a provincially-regulated employer, you cannot be discriminated against on the following grounds:
Race; colour; ancestry; creed (religion); place of origin; ethnic origin; citizenship; sex (including pregnancy, gender identity); sexual orientation; age; marital status; family status; disability; receipt of public assistance; or a record of offences in respect of which a pardon has been granted under the Criminal Records Act and not revoked, or an offence under a provincial statute.
If you are an employee of a federally-regulated employer, you cannot be discriminated against on the following grounds:
Race; national or ethnic origin; colour; religion; age; sex; sexual orientation; gender identity or expression; marital status; family status; genetic characteristics; disability; or conviction for an offence for which a pardon has been or in respect of which a record suspension has been ordered.
Certain exceptions exist, such as where the discrimination occurs as a part of a bona fide occupational requirement or in relation to exempt areas such as certain activities by religious or other organizations. If you have faced discriminatory questions as a part of a job application, are subject to or even witness discriminatory comments in your workplace, have been denied a promotion for discriminatory reasons or terminated for discriminatory reasons, contact us for a consultation about your rights as an employee.
Sexual Harassment
Have you been subject to sexual harassment in the workplace? Sexual harassment can include unwanted touching or comments of a sexual nature, among other things. Once your employer is notified that you are subject to such harassment, they have a duty to protect you. Failure to do so can result in significant monetary and non-monetary remedies before the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario or the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal.
If you are the victim of sexual harassment, contact us for a consultation to discuss your rights.
Service-Related Discrimination
Have you been subjected to discrimination by a service provider? Restaurants, stores, and even government entities, including police services, can be subject to monetary and non-monetary orders for prohibited discriminatory conduct towards you.
In Ontario, provincially-regulated service providers generally cannot discriminate against you based on any of the following grounds:
Race; colour; ancestry; creed (religion); place of origin; ethnic origin; citizenship; sex (including pregnancy, gender identity); sexual orientation; age; marital status; family status; disability; receipt of public assistance; or a record of offences in respect of which a pardon has been granted under the Criminal Records Act and not revoked, or an offence under a provincial statute.
In the event that a service provider engages in unlawful discrimination, victims of discrimination may seek monetary compensation and other relief at the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario. If you believe you may have been the victim of prohibited discriminatory conduct and would like to discuss your options, contact us for a consultation.
