Resource Hub

Explore our collection of practical articles and curated resources designed to support professionals in building stronger workplaces.

Increasing employee participation in workplace assessments

January 10, 2017 | By Cory Boyd

Increasingly, we are being asked by our clients to conduct, or to assist them in conducting, workplace assessments. These are proactive processes designed to gather information relating to the culture, practices or behaviours in the workplace and to identify the root cause of any conflicts or issues, or to determine the effectiveness of an organization’s

Can a non-denominational school prohibit prayer that is too overt?

November 4, 2016 | By Cory Boyd

In past blogs, I’ve talked about the duty to accommodate in the context of creed, and specifically about the scope of the ground of creed and how employers could determine whether or not a religious belief was sincerely held. A recent decision of the Court of Queen’s Bench of Alberta has provided some additional guidance

What makes an investigation “reasonable”?

September 2, 2016 | By Cory Boyd

While large organizations often have robust policies, human resources departments and, at times, human rights and/or investigation specialists to help them ensure that they are meeting the expectations of the Ontario Human Rights Code, it can be more challenging for smaller, less legally sophisticated organizations to ensure that they too are meeting expectations when faced with

Ensuring witness statement accuracy in investigations

August 12, 2016 | By Cory Boyd

As an external investigator, I conduct investigations for various organizations using their policies and procedures as the basis for my process. Sometimes these organizations include within their policy a requirement that parties and witnesses be given the opportunity to review and sign off on my interview notes, or a statement that I have prepared based

150 Words

July 29, 2016 | By Christine Thomlinson

I chose this quote months ago when the idea for 150 Words was born. For me, it underscores the importance of our work with employers in promoting respect in the workplace, and the corresponding positive impact this has on people’s working experience: We need human rights. Whether we like it or not, religious, ethnic and

Is being bathed by a woman a legitimate creed-based requirement? Ontario Human Rights Tribunal requires evidence from Rastafarian

June 15, 2016 | By Cory Boyd

Last year I blogged about a decision of the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario that considered the definition and scope of the ground of creed. While the decision laid out a clear analytical framework, the facts of the case were unique and of such specificity that it might have been difficult to see how the

Bill 132: Obligation or opportunity?

May 5, 2016 | By Christine Thomlinson

Starting our own business gave us the opportunity to create the kind of place where we wanted to work – the kind of working environment that would have us excited about heading to work each Monday, as opposed to lying awake on Sunday night dreading the start of another work week. I am truly grateful

Beyond the bathroom: Creating transgender-inclusive workplaces

April 27, 2016 | By Cory Boyd

Recently, it seems like all anyone wants to talk about when it comes to transgender inclusivity is bathrooms. Questions about bathrooms dominate recent dialogues and workshops of which I’ve been a part. The US media can’t stop talking about their politicians talking about bathrooms. Large companies like Target are taking positions, leading to praise from

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