All students and staff have the right to learn and work in environments where they feel safe, supported and accepted, free from discrimination and harassment. Please see below for more information on reporting a human rights concern.
Reporting a Human Rights Concern: Students and Families
What can you do if you are experiencing discrimination and harassment at school?
If you are experiencing human rights related discrimination or harassment, you can get assistance by telling a trusted adult in your school (a teacher, principal, vice principal or someone you identify as a caring adult). School principals have the responsibility to respond to issues and resolve them in a timely manner.
If you feel the situation is not resolved at the school level, you can bring the concern to the superintendent of office. If the concern remains unresolved, please fill out a Human Rights Complaint Intake Form or email the Human Rights Office at [email protected].
PDF Version: Human Rights Concern Flowchart_ – Students and Families
Reporting a Human Rights Concern: Staff
What can you do if you are experiencing discrimination and harassment at work?
Employees should report alleged harassment or discrimination incidents/ complaints/ concerns based on a protected ground to an immediate supervisor/manager. If the complaint involves the supervisor, the employee should send the complaint to the authority that oversees the supervisor, the Human Rights Office or Human Resource Services Labour Relations department directly. If applicable, consult with your Union Office in addition. If your concern or issue is based on one or more ground of the human rights code, you can consult with the Human Rights Office.
Human rights and equity related concerns and complaints from staff can be reporting the Human Rights Complaints Form or by emailing the HRO at [email protected].
Reports to the Human Resource Services- Labour Relations Department may be submitted through the Workplace Harassment Compliant Form
Staff can learn more about the steps to address a human rights concern in the flowchart below.
PDF Version: Human Rights Concern Flowchart – Employees
Direct Reporting to the HRO
It is encouraged that concerns and complaints be addressed promptly at the school and department levels as much as possible. Some may choose to directly contact the HRO when their concerns aren’t resolved at the school or department levels. Reports to the HRO can be done through the Human Rights online Complaints Form or/or emailing the HRO at [email protected].
After a Report is Submitted to the HRO
Upon receiving a complaint or concern, the HRO will review the complaint and:
- Offer the complainant a confidential consultation to determine next steps, including if Early Resolution has a potential to resolve the conflict.
- Initiate a preliminary threshold assessment to determine if the allegation:
- Is based on a protected ground and falls under Human Rights Policy.
- Involves a social area and shows that a protected ground is a factor in the allegedly adverse treatment.
- If the complaint doesn’t involve human rights based on the threshold assessment, the HRO will refer the matter to be addressed through other appropriate policy or procedure (e.g- Safe schools, human resources etc).
After conducting the initial threshold assessment, the HRO will assign an Early Resolution Supervisor or investigator, who interview all people involved in the matter to mutually resolve or investigate the concerns. At the conclusion of the resolution process, the HRO will provide all parties involved and decision-makers with the findings of the investigation in writing. The HRO may also provide recommendations for remedies and next steps to the decision-maker(s).
If the concern or complaint involves systemic discrimination, the HRO, in consultation with the Director of Education and other decision makers with supervisory responsibilities, will initiate an inquiry and/or investigation and will recommend appropriate next steps/actions.
For more information on the HRO process, please refer to the Human Rights Complaints Resolution Procedure