Upcoming Webinar: July, 16th 2020 @ 12:00 PM (EDT) | Reimagining Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Strategies to Address Anti-Black Racism | Register Today!
We held a Webinar on June 18, 2020, on the subject of investigating microaggressions which clearly resonated with people. During the course of the session, a large number of participants wrote in to tell us about their own experiences with microaggressions.
In Ontario, where I work, we have just entered stage 2 of re-opening the economy, which includes allowing people to return to workplaces that have thus far been closed. Even if a business was deemed essential, and employees continued to work remotely, now that things are “thawing” we anticipate that more employees will return to the physical workplace.
Last week, my colleague Dana Campbell discussed the difference between racism and racial discrimination, and the ways in which racial discrimination can manifest in the workplace. In the spirit of her article and her quote from Clarence B. Warren – “Everything can be improved” – we review here three human rights cases where anti-black racism occurred in the workplace, what the law told us then, and considerations for how the application of some of these legal principles may evolve going forward.
For federally-regulated employers, Bill C-65, An Act to amend the Canada Labour Code (harassment and violence) is supposed to come into force sometime this year, although the exact date has not been confirmed. Since the pandemic hit, the federal government has not provided any updates on this.
