If you are entering the workforce or are currently employed, it's important to understand standards, regulations and human rights legislation as they pertain to employment.   Please review the information below. 

The links directly below contain specialized resources for individuals who identify with the following groups or topics:

• Women
• Aboriginal / First Nations
• Newcomers to Canada
• (dis)Abilities
• Visible Minority
• LGBTTQ* 

Know Your Rights

“Employers cannot refuse to hire workers because of their race, religion, ethnic origin, skin colour, sex, age, marital status, disability or sexual orientation. However, employers or other workers may sometimes discriminate or make racist or offensive comments. This is called harassment and is against the law.”

Workers Rights in Canada – from Service Canada
http://www.servicecanada.gc.ca/eng/about/publication/pdf/eng/WREnglishDec07.pdf

“Discrimination under The Human Rights Code is treating someone differently, to their disadvantage and without a valid reason or failing to take steps to accommodate special needs that are based on the characteristics covered under The Code. The Human Rights Code (Manitoba) prohibits unreasonable discrimination in areas such as employment, housing, accommodation, the provision of services or contracts, and signs and notices.

The Code prohibits unreasonable discrimination on the following grounds, called "protected characteristics."

• Ancestry
• Nationality or national origin
• Ethnic background or origin
• Religion or creed, or religious belief, religious association or religious activity
• Age
• Sex, including gender-determined characteristics, such as pregnancy
• Gender identity
• Sexual orientation
• Marital or family status
• Source of income
• Political belief, political association or political activity
• Physical or mental disability
• Social disadvantage

Your Human Rights in Manitoba – from the Human Rights Commission
http://www.manitobahumanrights.ca/yourhumanrights.html

In some cases, an employer may intentionally or unintentionally ask questions pertaining to these 'protected characterisitics', including in a job interview.  For information about illegal questions or on how to respond to such questions, please view our Interview Preperation Workbook (page 8). 

To learn more about Employment Standards in Manitoba and other relevant information, please click here.

Other Resources - Rights in the Workplace:

Canadian Human Rights Commission – Preventing Discrimination
The Discrimination Prevention Branch is responsible for all aspects of prevention activities, as well as ensuring that federally regulated employers meet the requirement of the Employment Equity Act
http://www.chrc-ccdp.ca/eng/content/how-can-i-prevent-discrimination-my-workplace

Challenging Racism in the Workplace – CUPE
CUPE’s policy statement on workplace racism, and how to combat systemic racism in the workplace 
 http://cupe.ca/PolicyRacism/4831

HRSDC Canada Website on Equality in the Workplace
Learn about your rights and the resources available to you by reading more about pay equity, the Racism-Free Workplace Strategy and the Employment Equity Act, which promotes equitable representation for women, Aboriginal peoples, persons with disabilities and visible minorities who work in federally regulated workplaces
http://www.hrsdc.gc.ca/eng/labour/equality/index.shtml

Worker’s Action Centre
Online materials available related to knowing your rights (Materials available in Arabic, Chinese, English, Farsi, French, Hindi, Portuguese, Somali, Spanish, Tagalog, Tamil, Thai, Urdu)
http://www.workersactioncentre.org/