Who Should Undergo Human Rights Training?

We encourage anyone in a leadership or managerial/supervisory position to undergo human rights training for the workplace. With our professional guidance and education, you’ll have the information you need to navigate workplace human rights issues with greater confidence for better outcomes.

Here is a more in-depth overview of the benefits that await organizations undertaking our human rights sensitivity training:

Sensitivity Training for Your Leadership Team, Supervisors, and Managers

Your leadership team members, supervisors, and managers are the linchpins of any organization's day-to-day operations. They’re responsible for overseeing teams, making critical decisions, and setting the tone for workplace culture. Attending human rights sensitivity training is particularly crucial for them.

By participating in this training, leadership team members, supervisors, and managers gain valuable insights into recognizing and addressing discrimination in the workplace. They learn to navigate complex issues, foster inclusivity, and ensure that their teams operate in compliance with human rights legislation. Equipped with this knowledge, they can proactively attempt to prevent discrimination, handle employee concerns effectively, and encourage a safe and respectful work environment. Remember, your organization can be held liable for discrimination even if there was in fact no intent to discriminate.

Human Rights Education for Upper Management

Upper management, including executives and senior leaders, hold the power to shape an organization's policies, strategies, and overall direction. Their decisions impact every aspect of the business, including its stance on human rights.

For upper management, attending human rights sensitivity training isn’t just about legal compliance; it's about setting an example. This training empowers them to align organizational values with actions, ensuring that diversity and inclusion aren’t just buzzwords but integral components of the corporate culture. Upper management's commitment to this training demonstrates a dedication to creating an equitable workplace where everyone's rights are respected, and it sends a powerful message to the entire organization.

Human Rights Sensitivity Training for Board Members

Board members play a critical role in governance and oversight of the Board they sit on. They’re entrusted with the responsibility of steering the organization's course and safeguarding its interests. Understanding human rights sensitivity is essential in fulfilling this responsibility.

By attending this training, board members gain a deeper understanding of their organization's legal obligations and the potential risks associated with human rights violations. This knowledge enables them to provide effective oversight and guidance, ensuring that the organization's policies and practices align with human rights legislation. Board members who are well-versed in human rights sensitivity can actively contribute to the creation of a workplace culture that respects and values diversity.

Mandated Sensitivity Training

In some cases, employers may be legally mandated to undergo human rights sensitivity training by the Canadian Human Rights Act (CHRA) or the Ontario Human Rights Code (OHRC) tribunal. Compliance with this requirement isn’t only a legal obligation but also an opportunity to enhance understanding and awareness.

Employers who are ordered to take this training should view it as a chance to rectify any past issues and prevent future discrimination claims. Our training course provides a structured framework for learning about human rights legislation, discrimination prevention, and accommodation duties.

By fully engaging in the training, these employers can demonstrate their commitment to creating a discrimination-free workplace, thus complying with legal mandates while also fostering a positive and inclusive work environment. Upon completing our course, each participant will receive a certificate of participation to add to your records.

The Benefits of Our Online Human Rights Training Webinars

At our offices, we understand that learning doesn't always fit neatly into a predefined schedule. That's why we're excited to offer our comprehensive Human Rights Training in a convenient, self-paced webinar format. With our self-paced webinars, you have the flexibility to learn at your own speed, making education accessible and adaptable to individual needs.

Learn at Your Own Pace

Our self-paced webinars provide a dynamic and engaging way to explore essential topics related to human rights. Whether you're a busy professional, a dedicated leader, or an organization striving for compliance, you can now tailor your learning experience to suit your unique requirements. Take the time you need to grasp the concepts and absorb the valuable insights these webinars offer.

24/7 Access Upon Signup

Once you sign up for our self-paced webinars, you gain exclusive 24/7 access to the course materials. This means that learning isn’t bound by time zones or work hours. You decide when and where to engage with the content, giving you the freedom to integrate learning seamlessly into your schedule.

Fostering Inclusivity via Human Rights Awareness Training

Our human rights sensitivity training fosters a culture of diversity and inclusion by raising awareness of the different forms of discrimination. Leaders can then actively work to create inclusive workplaces where all employees feel valued. Inclusive workplaces tend to have higher employee morale and productivity. When employees know their rights are protected, they’re more likely to engage positively in their work.

What You Will Learn During Our Human Rights Awareness Training

Human rights awareness training is vital because most employers who violate human rights don’t intend to do so. Human rights issues can and do arise unintentionally and do cause a lot of harm. The best solution is to take preventative measures.

During our customized human rights awareness training, your staff will learn:

• What “discrimination in the workplace” means
• What types of conduct constitute discrimination under the Canadian Human Rights Act and Ontario’s Human Rights Code
• Case studies that illustrate prohibited discriminatory behaviour, and the penalties companies have faced as a result of their discriminatory acts based on case law
• Your responsibility to accommodate to the point of undue hardship
• The meaning of undue hardship and bona fide occupational requirements and how they apply to your organization

Does your leadership team have previous training or experience with strategies that can be used to prevent human rights errors from occurring? Without up-to-date knowledge of current regulations, you could be facing severe blind spots that could put the future success of your company at risk. What is covered under Human Rights legislation is always in flux. For example, it took the Supreme Court of Canada ten years to change its mind on whether discrimination based on pregnancy was discrimination related to sex, which is now widely accepted to be the case.

What Is Discrimination?

Discrimination is defined as any action or decision that results in the unequal treatment of individuals or groups based on certain characteristics. For federally regulated workplaces the Canadian Human Rights Act prohibits discrimination in employment based on protected grounds. For provincially regulated workplaces, the Ontario Human Rights Code prohibits discrimination of employment based on protected grounds. Both legislations prohibit discrimination on a number of similar grounds such as race, age, sex, sexual orientation, and more. However, there are minute differences between some the of the protected grounds in the CHRA and the OHRC, such as religion in the CHRA and creed in the OHRC.

Employers need to be aware of these laws and concepts in order to facilitate a workplace that is free from discrimination and harassment. Additionally, understanding what constitutes discrimination can help employers avoid making decisions that could lead to complaints or legal action, which can be costly and can affect your organization as a whole.

Review Discrimination Cases with Us

During the self-paced webinar, you will have a chance to review cases of past discrimination heard by the Human Rights Tribunal and Courts. We will examine the types of awards provided by the tribunal and the Courts and discuss how employers can prevent future discrimination in their workplaces. By familiarizing yourself with past and recent cases, you will be able to move forward knowing how to avoid common and sometimes overlooked instances of workplace discrimination.

Human Rights Tribunals can award damages for pain and suffering, lost wages, and can force you to re-hire a terminated employee that was terminated as a result of discrimination. The Tribunal can also order an employer to take measures to stop discriminatory practices and to prevent them from happening again in the future. The Commission may also order an employer to take measures to stop discriminatory practices and to prevent them from happening again in the future. Measures could include taking mandatory training or implementing policies that respect the employer’s human rights obligations.

Duty to Accommodate
The duty to accommodate is based on the principle that everyone should have an equal opportunity to participate in the workplace, regardless of personal characteristics. This includes people with disabilities, religious beliefs, or other protected grounds under the applicable human rights legislation.

The accommodation process begins with a discussion between the employer and employee about what is needed in order for the employee to do their job. The accommodation should be tailored to meet the individual needs of the employee. It should also be practical and effective. With the help of our webinars and legal services, you will have a better understanding of your obligations as an employer and how to determine a reasonable form of accommodation for employees in need of such services.

What Is Undue Hardship?

Under both the provincial and federal Human Rights legislation, the law requires employers to accommodate the needs of employees up to the point of undue hardship. This means that employers must take steps to remove barriers that prevent employees from fully participating in the workplace. It is hard to prove undue hardship as the cost of accommodation is not readily accepted by courts except in extreme cases. Our course will help you better understand what truly undue hardship is.

Register for Our Online Human Rights Sensitivity Training

If you are looking to strengthen your organization and take step to foster an inclusive work environment, our online human rights sensitivity training can help prepare your leadership team, managers, and supervisors to navigate through your organization's legal responsibilities. Please feel free to call our office at (705) 268-6492 or email us at learning@sdlawtimmins.com to discuss your training needs.