Employees are entitled to a workplace free from discrimination
and harassment, and employers have a duty to accommodate. In
Ontario, specific legislation is in place to protect employees and
guide employers on adequately managing their business. Failure to
comply with the existing legislation could be costly.
Understanding Human Rights Legislation in Ontario.
Ontario employers are governed by Ontario's
Human Rights Code ("Code"),
which prohibits discrimination based on protected grounds in
specific social areas, including employment. The other social areas
are housing, services, unions and vocational associations and
contracts. There are 17 protected grounds: citizenship, race, place
of origin, ethnic origin, colour, ancestry, disability, age, creed,
sex/pregnancy, family status, marital status, sexual orientation,
gender identity, gender expression, and record of offences.
Employers must familiarize themselves with these protected grounds
to prevent breaches of
