The Meaning of Employment Equity

Employment equity means fairness in the workplace. Canadians agree that no one should face employment barriers simply by virtue of being a woman, a person with a disability, an Aboriginal person, or a member of a visible minority. Yet, the reality is that qualified individuals  from these groups have traditionally been hired, employed, and promoted at rates well below their availability in the labour market. Federal  employment equity legislation aims at ensuring that members of these four "designated groups" are treated equitably.

Process

Employment equity is a process designed to rid employment system policies and practices of unfair barriers to employment and career opportunities most commonly encountered by members of designated groups. It also seeks to create a work environment conducive to the fullest possible participation and distribution by all groups in order to bring designated groups representation into line with their representation in the qualified workforce.

Principles:

The principles underlying Employment Equity in the Public Service are:

  • Representation - The institution should be representative of the population it serves accross Canada.
  • Fairness - No one should be denied a fair chance at employment or promotion for reasons unrelated to ability.
  • Accommodation - Reasonable measures should be instituted in the workplace to accommodate differences among employees.
  • Justice - Special measures or programs designed to assist designated groups are valid if they ensure a "level playing field" for all.

Benefits for Managers

Along with the focus on diversity comes the premise that managers should maximize the benefits of having a diverse workforce, by using the information and knowledge acquired by their employees from different cultures and backgrounds, to improve the calibre of policy development and program delivery. In this way, employment equity and diversity management should play a key role in managers' human resource planning cycle.

In addition, the demographics of many regions (i.e. increased immigrant populations, with an aging federal public service) have made diversity considerations key to ensuring the success of

  1. succession planning, and;
  2. enabling the federal public service to understand and effectively respond to the changing needs of the Canadian public.

Benefits for Employees

The principles behind employment equity are in fact good human resource management practices, from which all employees will benefit. These may include changes such as an improved work environment or an increased opportunity to contribute to policy development and program delivery initiatives.

Employees who do not fall into one of the four designated groups often take advantage of employment equity and diversity management programs, for example on-site child care, flexible work hours or telework, or improved office equipment or furniture which is provided to all staff members.

It is also important to note that the demographics of many regions (i.e. increased immigrant populations, with an aging federal public service) have made diversity considerations key to ensuring the success of

  1. succession planning, and;
  2. enabling the federal public service to understand and effectively respond to the changing needs of the Canadian public.