What is Employment Equity?

A photograph of diverse people, men and women, in business attire

What is employment equity? Shouldn't equity be about treating everybody the same way?

According to Canada’s Employment Equity Act, the purpose of employment equity is to achieve equality in the workplace so that no person shall be denied employment opportunities or benefits for reasons unrelated to ability and, in the fulfilment of that goal, to correct the conditions of disadvantage in employment experienced by women, Aboriginal Peoples, persons with disabilities and members of visible minorities by giving effect to the principle that employment equity means more than treating persons in the same way but also requires special measures and the accommodation of differences. 

Initiatives like flexible work hours and increased accessibility benefit us all by creating better workplaces and enabling diverse contributions to broaden our collective knowledge.

At DHR, we believe everyone deserves the same opportunities and benefits based on their relevant abilities and merit. We work collaboratively across campus to:

  • eliminate employment barriers
  • remedy past discrimination
  • prevent future barriers
  • improve designated group members' access and distribution throughout all occupations and at all levels.

Our goal? To ensure all employees and job applicants receive equitable treatment and equitable hiring, training and promotion opportunities.