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Know Your Rights
Do you know your rights? In today’s workplace, everyone has rights but how can they be enforced if no one really knows what they are? Sure everyone has heard stories and rumours about what is correct or what can be enforced but what you need are the facts. Educate yourself – it’s up to you to Know Your Rights!
Employment Standards
The Employment Standards Act 2000 (ESA) is the legislation that “sets out the minimum standards that employers and employees must follow” in the workplace. The ESA covers the following:
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Hours of work and overtime
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Minimum wage
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Vacation
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Public holidays
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Pregnancy and parental leave
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Family medical leave
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Termination of employment and severance pay
Further details on the act and all that it covers can be found on the Ministry of Labour’s website at www.labour.gov.on.ca . Once at the site, make your language selection and from the home page select “Employment Standards”. The next screen will open to all that you need to know about Employment Standards and what your rights are at work.
Human Rights
The Ontario Human Rights Code provides every Ontario resident with the right to equal treatment, free from discrimination and harassment in employment, accommodation, goods, services, facilities, contracts and membership in vocational associations.
The Human Rights Code also prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, ancestry, place of origin, colour, ethnic origin, citizenship, creed (religion), sex (including pregnancy and gender identity), sexual orientation, disability, age (18 and over, 16 and over in accommodation), marital status (including same sex partners), family status, receipt of public assistance (in accommodation) and record of offences (in employment).
In June 2008 the Human Rights Amendment Act came into effect which changes how the Ontario Human Rights Commission carries out it’s responsibilities. It is a stronger system for protecting the rights of Ontario residents and aims to resolve claims in a faster, more efficient manner. To do this, there is now the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario, the Human Rights Legal Support Centre and the Ontario Human Rights Commission.
Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario: deals with all claims of discrimination filed under the Ontario Human Rights Code. www.hrto.ca
Human Rights Legal Support Centre: offers human rights legal services to individuals throughout Ontario who believe they have experienced discrimination. www.hrlsc.on.ca
Ontario Human Rights Commission: works to promote, protect and advance human rights. www.ohrc.on.ca