Trusted Legal Advisors In The Modern Workplace

Are there human rights violations in your workplace?

On Behalf of | May 6, 2020 | Labour And Employment Law |

Workers should all have equal access to employment opportunities, and their human rights must be protected at all times. However, even when workplace equity exists, human rights problems may not be immediately evident. The British Columbia Human Rights Code is meant to protect employees from discrimination at work.

Among other things, the Human Rights Code offers protections for workers in the course of their employment. Discrimination that is based on race, sex or other personal characteristics can lead to claims against employers. However, not all human rights violation complaints are valid. Employees need to be able to show that one of the protected traits stated in the Human Rights Code was violated, and that it had a negative effect on the employee.

For workers, it might seem that the law protects only some and not others. This is possible when actions in the workplace that might seem to relate to protected traits are not code violations. For example, a single comment made by an employer may not, in a particular circumstance, be a violation of the law.

Nevertheless, no worker should endure HRC violations only because of uncertainty about whether a claim would be valid. Along with the protections against discrimination, workers are entitled to seek legal counsel to advocate for them in ensuing legal proceedings. An employee can consult with a British Columbia lawyer who has experience in dealing with the labour and employment law of the province, and also workplace equity. This is a complicated field of the law, and an experienced lawyer can assess the viability of a claim and explain the available legal options.

Categories

Archives

FindLaw Network

Industry Partner of

CPHR | Chartered Professionals In Human Resources | British Columbia & Yukon