CANADIAN MULTICULTURAL MEDIATION SERVICE

ANTI-RACISM, ACCESS AND EQUITY POLICY

Table of Contents

• Policy Statement
• Application
• Definitions
• Policy requirements
  - Discrimination Activities
  - Complaints
  - Protection of Personal Information
• Areas of Responsibility
• Enquiries

1. Policy Statement

It is the policy of Canadian Multicultural Mediation Service that all employees have a right to an accessible workplace free of harassment and discrimination. Canadian Multicultural Mediation Service encourages respect for human rights, believes this is integral to our purpose as a service agency for the Africanadian community, and recognizes that individual well-being is best achieved in such a work environment.

Canadian Multicultural Mediation Service is committed to ensuring that the Africanadian community and others dealing with CMMS have access to its services in an environment free from harassment and discrimination.

Harassment or discrimination based on race, national or ethnic origin, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, family status, disability or a conviction for which a pardon has been granted will not be tolerated. Sexual harassment is any conduct, comment, gesture or contact of a sexual nature that is likely to cause offence or humiliation to any employee or client, or that might, on reasonable grounds be seen by that employee or client as placing a sexual condition on (in the case of an employee) employment, training or promotion or (in the case of a client) any service provided by Canadian Multicultural Mediation Service to clients.

Any employee or client who believes that he or she has been subject to personal harassment or discrimination may complain to the Executive Director of Canadian Multicultural Mediation Service. If the complaint lodged is made against the Executive Director, then it may be brought to the personnel Committee of the Board of Directors of CMMS.

A complaint may also be made to the Ontario Human Rights Commission. Every complaint brought to Canadian Multicultural Mediation Service’ attention will be thoroughly investigated in confidence.

2. Application

This policy applies to all Canadian Multicultural Mediation Service employees.

3. Definitions

“Employees” is defined as all full-time, part-time, relief staff and volunteers of Canadian Multicultural Mediation Service, including managerial staff.

“Client” is defined as any person who is either a complainant (plaintiff), defendant or any person residing in Ontario or any person being counselled or assisted by Canadian Multicultural Mediation Service within the context of work that is approved by Canadian Multicultural Mediation Service.

Prohibited grounds of discrimination are:

• race
• national or ethnic origin
• religion
• age
• sex
• sexual orientation
• marital status
• family status
• physical or mental disability
• conviction for an offence for which a pardon has been granted

Discrimination is defined as occurring when unnecessary distinctions are made for irrelevant or capricious reasons.

Harassment is defined as occurring when an individual is subjected to unwelcome verbal or physical conduct that is related to prohibited grounds of discrimination. Sexual harassment is defined as any conduct, comment, gesture or contact of a sexual nature that is likely to cause offence or humiliation to an individual, or that might, on reasonable grounds, be perceived by an individual as placing a condition of a sexual nature on (in the case of a client) any services provided by Canadian Multicultural Mediation Service,

4. Policy Requirements

4.1 Discrimination Activities

While this policy reflects provisions of the Ontario Human Rights Act, the Employment Equity Act, and the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, all questions relating to its interpretation should be initially directed to the Executive Director (or the personnel Committee of the Board of Directors, in the case of a complaint against the Executive Director).

The basic elements of this policy include, but are not limited to, a range of activities such as the following, where they are discriminatory:

• to deny access to any goods, services, or facilities to any individual.
• to deprive an individual or class of individuals employment opportunity.
• to refuse to employ or continue to employ any individual, or to
  differentiate adversely in relation to an employee.
• to harass an individual on a prohibited ground of discrimination. Sexual
  harassment shall be deemed to be harassment on a prohibited ground of
  discrimination.

4.2 Complaints

Any employee or client who believed that he or she has been subject to personal harassment or discrimination may complain to the Executive Director of Canadian Multicultural Mediation Service. If the complaint lodged is made against the Executive Director, then it may be brought to the Personnel Committee of the Board of Directors of CMMS. A complaint brought to CMMS’s attention will be thoroughly investigated in confidence. Employees found to be engaging in harassment or discriminatory behaviour may be subject to disciplinary action.

4.3 Protection of Personal Information

With respect to complaints under this policy, Canadian Multicultural Mediation Service will not disclose the name of a complainant or the circumstances related to the complaint to any person except where disclosure is necessary resulting from such an investigation or as otherwise required as a matter of law or public interest.

5. Areas of Responsibility

All employees are responsible for complying with this policy.

6. Enquiries

In general, questions on the interpretation and application of this policy should be referred to the Executive Director of Africanadian Mediation Community Services.

Approved by the Board of Directors of Canadian Multicultural Mediation Service on 28th. September, 2001.

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