Human Rights in the Workplace

TAKE NOTE (Disclaimer):
Any reference to  the “Unofficial Consolidation” of the Yukon Human Rights Act or Regulations  refers to a document  which incorporates the new 2009 amendments to the Act and Regulations.  When using the legislation for official purposes, individuals should refer to the official original documents of the Acts, Regulations and 2009 amendments.

The Yukon Human Rights Act (140Kb PDF) | Yukon Human Rights Act French Version (76Kb PDF) prohibits discrimination in most working situations, including employment with municipal and territorial governments and most private companies. Those employees working for the federal government or employed by a First Nations or those employers regulated by federal law, such as banks, broadcasting or interprovincial transportation companies, are covered by the Canadian Human Rights Act.

The Yukon Human Rights Act prohibits discrimination in employment based on the grounds of discrimination. The Act also requires equal pay for work of equal value in the Government of Yukon and municipalities and their corporations, boards, and commissions.

EMPLOYER RESPONSIBILITY | As an employer, you have a responsibility to provide an environment free of harassment and discrimination. You are also responsible for any act committed by any of your officers, directors, employees or contractors in the course of their employment. Employers must take measures to prevent harassment and discrimination through education of staff, a clear and well-publicized policy against harassment and discrimination, and a procedure for handling of complaints quickly and confidentially.

FACT SHEETS | See the following fact sheets for more information on workplace related issues:

• Human Rights Law - Impact on Employers and Service Providers ~24Kb
• Human Rights Issues – Business, Service Providers and Employers ~32kb
• Human Rights in the Workplace ~252Kb
• Employment and the Law (plain language version of above information) ~400Kb
• The Complaints Process ~276Kb (under revision)
• The Complaints Process (plain language version) ~484Kb (under revision)
• Harassment - Recognizing It!! ~32Kb
• What is Harassment? - English ~32Kb | French ~32Kb
• What is Sexual Harassment? - English ~28Kb | French ~28Kb
• What Can You Do If You Are Being Harassed? - English ~28Kb | French ~28Kb
• Guidelines for Developing a Harassment Policy ~28Kb
• Hiring Process - Human Rights Tips for Employers ~24Kb
• Understand the Duty to Accommodate - English ~35Kb | French ~58Kb
• Accommodation in the Workplace - English ~30Kb | French ~54Kb
• How to Write an Accommodation Policy - English ~39Kb | French ~68Kb

POLICY AND PROCEDURES GUIDELINES

Harassment-Free Workplace Policy Template
This template can be used as a guide and adapted for developing policy for your own workplace . The materials are not to be used for commercial purposes.

The Commission also provides educational workshops and information on harassment-free workplaces, the obligation of employers to provide accommodation and the development of human rights policies for the workplace. Contact us for further information.

There are other Yukon statutes such as the Employment Standards Act, Occupational Health and Safety Act, Occupation Training Act that relate to employment and workplace matters. The Human Rights Act takes precedence in the case of any conflict with another Yukon law.

If you have questions about your rights as an employee in the Yukon, or if you are an employer looking for more information on your responsibilities under the Act, please contact us. There is no charge for our services and they are confidential.

All publications are in PDF format.