Page Comparison

• Supports and resources

• Accommodations

• References and additional workplace safety and rights

Regardless of the nature of your situation, you have agency and choice. If the options above still feel limiting, or if you’re still unsure about who to reach out to for support, we’ve curated a more comprehensive list of resources (including those previously outlined) that will hopefully provide a greater landscape of options for a safe(r) space for you to share your experience and/or seek help if you need it. Please know that you’re not limited to supports at the University of Waterloo.

University of Waterloo supports

• Campus Wellness

• Campus Wellness – harassment in a co-op workplace

Counselling Services

• Glow Centre for Sexual and Gender Diversity

• Racial Advocacy for Inclusion, Solidarity and Equity (RAISE)

• Mentor Assistance Through Education and Support (MATES)

• Conflict Management and Human Rights Office (CMAHRO)

  • Feeling harassed in your co-op workplace?

• Sexual Violence Prevention and Response Office (SVPRO)

• Office of Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Anti-Racism (EDI-R)

• Office of Indigenous Relations

• Indigenous Employee Community Resources

• Waterloo Indigenous Student Centre (WISC)

• Workplace Harassment Advisors (co-op)

• Co-op Advisors

• Career Advisors

• Human Resources (HR)

• University of Waterloo Staff Association (UWSA)

• Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE)

• AccessAbility Services

• Waterloo Undergraduate Student Association (WUSA)

• Graduate Student Association (GSA-UW)

• Healthy Workplace Committee

• Safety Office

• Waterloo Health Services

• Special Constable Service

Off-campus supports

• Empower Me – mental health and wellness support (undergraduate and graduate students)

• Here 24/7 – addictions, mental health and crisis services (Waterloo-Wellington)

• Good2Talk – mental health and well-being support for post-secondary students in Ontario

• 24 Hour Support Line (519-741-8633)– Sexual Assault Support Centre of Waterloo Region

• Waterloo Region Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence Treatment Centre

• Waterloo Regional Police Services

• Victim Services of Waterloo Region

• Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario

• OHSA Health and Safety Contact Centre

The OHRC outlines the legal duty employers have to accommodate the needs of people who are negatively impacted by requirements, rules or standards at work due to their membership in a protected group, to the point of undue hardship. Employment should be designed inclusively and must be adapted to accommodate the needs of members of protected groups in a way that promotes integration and full participation.

• Accommodation: an adaptation or adjustment made to provide members of a protected group with equitable and non-discriminatory opportunities for participation.

• Duty to accommodate: the legal duty employers must accommodate the needs of people negatively impacted by requirements, rules or standards at work due to their membership in a protected group.

• Undue hardship: reasoning given by an employer as to why they may be unable to accommodate a member of a protected group – employers must provide proof of undue hardship (e.g., the accommodation would pose a health and safety risk to others).

• Bona fide occupational requirement: essential to performing the duties of a particular position; if an employer can demonstrate this requirement, there is no duty to accommodate (e.g., vision standards for a truck driver).

Examples of accommodations at work include, but are not limited to:

• Offering screen readers, or other assistive technologies to an employee with a visual impairment.

• Allowing flexible working hours and/or breaks to allow an Indigenous employee to attend a spiritual ceremony.

• Ensuring that washroom facilities are inclusive and supportive of employees of all gender identities

...

OHRC policies and discrimination

• Religion/creed: under the OHRC policy on preventing discrimination based on creed including the duty to accommodate Indigenous spiritual practices

• Disability: under the OHRC policy on ableism and discrimination based on disability

• Family and marital status: under the OHRC policy and guidelines on discrimination because of family status

• Gender identity and gender expression: under the OHRC policy on preventing discrimination because of gender identity and gender expression

• Race and related grounds: under the OHRC policy and guidelines on racism and racial discrimination

• Receipt of public assistance: under the OHRC policy on human rights and rental housing

• Record of offences: under the OHRC Human rights at work 2008 - 3rd edition

• Sex: under the OHRC policy on preventing sexual and gender-based harassment (2013) and policy on preventing discrimination because of pregnancy and breastfeeding

• Sexual orientation: under the OHRC policy on discrimination and harassment because of sexual orientation (2006)

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During the employment process

You have the right to request accommodations at any stage of the employment process, including:

• Job applications

• Recruitment activities

• Training and onboarding

• Transfers and promotions

• Apprenticeship terms

• Dismissal and layoffs

• Pay, hours of work, overtime, shift work, holidays and benefits

• Discipline and performance evaluations

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Who do I share my accommodation needs with at work?

You can choose to share your accommodation needs at work. If you choose to share, it’s important that you identify who you must share with to access accommodations. Most workplaces are proactive in communicating their accommodations process including who to contact. Depending on the size of the organization you’re working for and your reporting structure, who you share accommodation needs with can vary.

If you’re unsure who to contact, you can consider any of the following people:

• Human Resources (HR)

• Your supervisor/manager

• Employee Assistance Program (EAP) counsellor

Government of Canada

• Canadian Human Rights Commission – Provincial and territorial human rights agencies

• Employment Insurance (EI) and parental benefits

• Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS) https://www.ccohs.ca/topics/hazards/physical/

• Provincial/Territorial Health and Safety:https://www.ccohs.ca/oshanswers/information/govt.html

• The Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA) https://www.priv.gc.ca/en/privacy-topics/privacy-laws-in-canada/the-personal-information-protection-and-electronic-documents-act-pipeda/

...

Government of Ontario

• e-Laws Ontario https://www.ontario.ca/laws/

• Your Guide to the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA) https://www.ontario.ca/document/guide-occupational-health-and-safety-act

• Your Guide to the Employment Standards Act (ESA) https://www.ontario.ca/document/your-guide-employment-standards-act-0

  • Employment Standards Information Centre
    Toll-free in Ontario:1-800-531-5551
    GTA: 416-326-7160

  • Employment Standards Act (ESA) – Written policy on electronic monitoring of employees

  https://www.ontario.ca/document/your-guide-employment-standards-act-0/written-policy-electronic-monitoring-employees

  • Employment Standards Act (ESA) – Written policy on disconnecting from work

  https://www.ontario.ca/document/your-guide-employment-standards-act-0/written-policy-disconnecting-from-work

• Ontario Human Rights Commission (OHRC) https://www.ohrc.on.ca/en https://www.ohrc.on.ca/en/learning/learning

• Ontario Labour Relations Act https://www.ontario.ca/laws/statute/95l01

• Ontario Building Code Act (OBC) https://www.ontario.ca/laws/statute/92b23

• Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development https://www.ontario.ca/page/ministry-labour-immigration-training-skills-development

  • Health and Safety Contact Centre: Toll-free: 1-877-202-0008

• Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FIPPA) https://www.ontario.ca/laws/statute/90f31

• Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act https://www.ontario.ca/laws/statute/90m56

...

Non-government

• Pride at Work Canada – Your rights https://prideatwork.ca/know-your-rights/

• Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) https://www.wsib.ca/en

• Workers Action Centre https://workersactioncentre.org/

• CLEO Connect – Your legal rights (employment and work) https://cleoconnect.ca/legal-topic/employment-and-work/

• Toronto Workers’ Health and Safety Legal Clinic http://www.workers-safety.ca/

• Discover Ability Network – Disclosure and workplace accommodation tip sheets https://discoverability.network/job-seeker/tip-sheets/

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Psychological safety

• Harvard Business Review – What is psychological safety? https://hbr.org/2023/02/what-is-psychological-safety

• Book: Clark, T. R. (2020). The 4 stages of psychological safety. Berrett-Koehler Publishers.

• Book: Edmondson, A. C. (2019). The Fearless Organization: Creating Psychological Safety in the workplace for learning, Innovation, and growth. John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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Microaggressions, harassment, and discrimination

• Cleveland Clinic, Mental Health – What are microaggressions? https://health.clevelandclinic.org/what-are-microaggressions-and-examples/

• Harvard Business Review – An antidote to microaggressions? Microvalidations https://hbr.org/2023/05/an-antidote-to-microaggressions-microvalidations

• Harvard Business Review – Recognizing and responding to microaggressions at work https://hbr.org/2022/05/recognizing-and-responding-to-microaggressions-at-work

• American Psychological Association – Bystander intervention tip sheet https://www.apa.org/pi/health-equity/bystander-intervention Legal support