1. POLICY

1.1 The Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine (CCNM) is committed to the principles of equity and diversity in the workplace and recognizes the value that diverse faculty and staff bring to the activities and initiatives of the College. CCNM is committed to creating a workplace that is free of discrimination and is supportive and respectful of employees with diverse backgrounds.

1.2 Consistent with this principle, the College will promote employment equity within the CCNM community and provide equal opportunity and equitable representation in employment for all applicants and employees by:

• Actively seeking to attract, hire, retain, and promote members of the equity-deserving groups;
• Ensuring accessibility, equity, and diversity in College policies, practices, and procedures;
• Reviewing, monitoring, and reporting on the achievement of equity for members of the equity-deserving groups; and
• Proactively addressing the historic under-representation in the employment of equity-deserving groups and other such groups designated by the federal Employment Equity Act.

2. SCOPE

2.1 This Policy applies to all job applicants and CCNM Employees.

3. DEFINITIONS

3.1 CCNM Employee: any person who is employed or engaged by CCNM in any capacity, including full-time or part-time employees, faculty members, contractors, and volunteers. For clarity, this does not include student clinic interns.

3.2 Designated Groups: Groups identified by the Canadian Employment Equity Act as facing barriers to inclusion and participation in the workforce. The groups are women, Indigenous Peoples, persons with disabilities, and members of racialized groups (“visible minorities”).

3.3 Employment: Includes all aspects of the employment relationship, including recruitment, hiring, development and training, promotion, retention, and accommodation.

3.4 Employment Equity: Involves a systematic effort to achieve fairness and provide equal opportunities in all aspects of employment so that no person shall be denied employment opportunities or benefits for reasons unrelated to merit and ability. Employment equity identifies and removes systemic barriers to employment opportunities.

3.5 Equity-deserving Groups: Includes the four Designated Groups plus persons who identify as a member of the LGBTQ2SIA+ community.

3.6 Indigenous Peoples: Persons who identify as First Nation (status and non-status), Métis, or Inuit.

3.7 Persons with Disabilities: Persons who have a long-term or recurring physical, mental, sensory, psychiatric, or learning impairment and who:

• Consider themselves to be disadvantaged in employment by reason of that impairment; or
• Believe that an employer or potential employer is likely to consider them to be disadvantaged in employment by reason of that impairment.

Includes persons whose functional limitations owing to their impairment have been accommodated in their current job or workplace.

3.8 Racialized Groups (“Visible Minorities”): Persons who are members of or perceived to be members of a group which has been subject to a social, disadvantageous, racialization process.

3.9 Under-Representation: Having a significantly lower percentage of designated group members in a particular occupational group that would reasonably be expected in comparison to their known availability.

4. RESPONSIBILITIES

4.1 All CCNM Employees are responsible for complying with this Policy.

4.2 All Managers/Supervisors share the responsibility for ensuring Employment Equity in recruitment, hiring, development and training, promotion, retention, and accommodation decisions within the scope of their authority.

4.3 The Human Resources (HR) Department is responsible for the overall administration of this Policy and for ensuring continued compliance with relevant legislative requirements (i.e., Ontario Human Rights Code and British Columbia Human Rights Code). The HR Department will also ensure open communications on this Policy and on the results of Employment Equity initiatives.

4.4 The Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) Officer is responsible for collaboratively working with Managers/Supervisors to educate, inform, raise awareness within the CCNM community, and advance goals towards Employment Equity. The EDI Officer will also serve as a resource for information and guidance on achieving and maintaining Employment Equity.

4.5 The Senior Leadership Team is responsible for the overall achievement of Employment Equity goals in their respective areas of responsibility.

5. PROCEDURES

5.1 All Employment related decisions will be based on individual merit and achievement (i.e., skills, knowledge, and abilities related to specific positions) and not on factors unrelated to a person’s ability to perform.

5.2 The College will provide accommodations for individuals who require them as per the College AODA – Accessibility & Accommodations Policy. All applicants and CCNM Employees are encouraged to let the HR Department know of any accommodations that should be made.

5.3 The College will collect demographic data of CCNM Employees, and review and monitor aggregate statistics regarding the representation of equity-deserving groups in the College workforce. The College will report on the achievement of Employment Equity for member of the Equity-Deserving Groups every three (3) years.

5.4 The College will identify and remove any discriminatory barriers, including systemic and deliberate practices and policies, to the recruitment, hiring, development and training, promotion, retention, and accommodation of all CCNM Employees and applications.

5.5 The College will continue its efforts in the development and implementation of Employment Equity initiatives.

5.6 In the event that a CCNM Employee feels that they have been treated in a manner that is contrary to this Policy, they should address their concerns to their Manager/Supervisor, the EDI Officer, or the Executive Director, Human Resources.

5.7 Any CCNM Employee whose actions are found to be in violation of this Policy will be subject to discipline up to and including dismissal.

6. REFERENCES

Legislation

• Federal Employment Equity Act (PDF)
• Ontario Human Rights Code
• British Columbia Human Rights Code

College Policy

• AODA – Accessibility & Accommodations Policy