What are my rights at work to do things to follow my religion?
Ontario's human rights laws say that everyone has the right to be treated equally and not be discriminated against at work.
This means that your employer must do what they can to make things fair for you. This could mean doing things differently for you so that you're treated equally. Some people call this “removing barriers” that discriminate against you in a way that goes against your human rights. The legal word for this is “accommodation”.
Examples of accommodation
Your employer might have to:
- let you wear a hijab or other religious head covering
- take time off for a religious holiday
- have prayer breaks at work
These are all just examples. Accommodation can be different for different people. In each case, it depends on what you need.
If you need because of human rights, ask for it. Your employer has to try to make things fair for you.
And you have to co-operate with your employer in trying to find and agree on what is reasonable for them to do. It might not be the same as what you asked for.
If you have a at work, talk to your union representative. The union is usually involved if a union member needs accommodation. Your union and your employer are both responsible for accommodation.
But employers don't have to do things that they can prove will cause them .
