Your rights at work
Everyone must be treated equally at work.
You are protected against discrimination and harassment from:
- your managers
- your colleagues
- third parties such as customers or suppliers
No one can treat you differently on the basis of the personal characteristics that are prohibited grounds for discrimination under the Charter of Human Rights and Freedoms.
What are the prohibited grounds for discrimination?
Employment includes:
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Your rights and responsibilities at work
Your employer...
- has a duty to provide you with a work environment that is free of discrimination and harassment
- cannot deny you a job, dismiss you or otherwise penalize you because you have a previous conviction
Learn more on your obligations
As an employee...
- you cannot treat a colleague differently because of their personal characteristics
- your employer must protect you if you experience discrimination or harassment from your colleagues
- you can request accommodation from your employer
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Examples of workplace discrimination
- Your employer forces you to retire at age 65
- During a job interview, an employer asks if you are pregnant or planning to have children
- Your supervisor requires you to speak French with your colleagues during your break
- Your colleague, manager or client discriminates against you or harasses you
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What can you do in cases of workplace discrimination or harassment?
Depending on the situation and where you work, you can contact:
- your employer
- your union (by filing a grievance)
- the CNESST
- the Commission: Confirm whether you can file a complaint with us
Frequently asked questions
Here are some of the most common human rights questions that we receive from employees and people looking for work.
Check it out to see if you can find answers to yours!
Tools and resources
The Commission provides a variety of free tools to help you understand your rights and meet your obligations.
- Campagne Recruter sans discriminer (French only)
Other organizations
This video explains the rights protected at work in American Sign Language (ASL)