BC Office of the Human Rights Commissioner Launches Employment Equity Toolkit

According to a poll conducted by the BC Office of the Human Rights Commissioner, 47 percent of BC-based respondents who experienced or knew someone who had experienced discrimination said it happened in the workplace.

As an employer, you have a duty of care to create a safe and welcoming workplace for your staff. While most employers are doing their best in this regard, gaps in representation and pay for marginalized groups remain stubbornly high. In fact, employment remains the single most litigated area of discrimination at the BC Human Rights Tribunal.

Introducing the Employment Equity Toolkit

Promoting equity in your workplace isn’t just the right thing to do, it’s also good for business. If you’re interested in creating a more equitable workplace but don’t have the expertise or know-how to start, BCOHRC’s Employment Equity Toolkit offers the perfect jumping off point.

The toolkit draws on a combination of secondary research, focus groups, and feedback sessions with employers and workers. It also features a province-wide poll exploring experiences and perspectives on equity in the workplace.

Navigating the Employment Equity Toolkit

The Employment Equity Toolkit is designed to help you develop an integrated employment equity plan for your business or organization. The components of your plan will depend on where you currently sit in your employment equity journey.

You can pick which topic areas are relevant for your organization, and you’ll find information on the following:

  • An Introduction to employment equity in BC
  • Accommodations
  • Compensation
  • Data collection
  • Complaint resolution
  • Hiring
  • Promotions

Each topic is covered in detail within a main info sheet containing best practices and recommendations for employers.

BCOHRC has also created a handy online glossary to help explain any unfamiliar concepts or words contained within the documents.

Attend Our Upcoming Webinar

On May 16, Small Business BC is hosting a free webinar on Understanding BC’s Human Rights Code as a Business Owner. You’ll learn how the Code protects everyone’s human rights as ‘rights holders’ in our province and how you can build a business free from inequality, discrimination, and injustice.

This session is delivered by B.C.’s Office of the Human Rights Commissioner.

Learn More

To discover more about the Employment Equity Toolkit and to start building your plan, visit British Columbia’s Office of the Human Rights Commissioner website and get started.