Workplace accommodations help ensure that all employees have a fair opportunity to participate and succeed at work. Whether related to disability, religion, family status, gender identity or expression, or another protected ground under the Human Rights Act, accommodations play a vital role to ensure equity and inclusion in New Brunswick workplaces.
Understanding how to request or respond to an accommodation can sometimes feel overwhelming – especially when employees or employers are unsure about their rights and responsibilities, or how to begin the accommodation process itself.
Requesting Accommodations in the Workplace: A Guide for Employers and Employees is a plain language resource which provides practical information to help employees and employers navigate the accommodation process in accordance with human rights law, and in adherence to the principles of dignity, equality, and inclusion. The guide outlines the rights and responsibilities of employees and employers in the accommodation process, offers tips for effective communication on accommodations, recommends best practices for responding to requests, and includes templates to help document each step in the accommodation process.
By using this guide, you’ll learn about:
- Your rights when requesting accommodations related to protected grounds under the Act;
- Your responsibilities as an employee throughout the accommodation process;
- How to communicate your accommodation needs effectively, including tips on discussing an accommodation request with your employer;
- The employer’s rights and responsibilities, including their duty to accommodate up to the point of undue hardship;
- Best practices for employers when responding to accommodation requests; and,
- What to do you if you believe your rights are being violated at work.
Appendix A of the guide includes a fillable template that can be used by employees and employers to track the details of an accommodation request, such as discussions about the request, any next-best solutions proposed or considered, and the rationale for not providing a requested accommodation, where applicable.
