Working with Abilities – Accommodating Physical and Mental Disabilities in the Workplace | CFIB

Did you know that under the Nova Scotia Human Rights Act it is illegal to discriminate against employees on the basis of mental or physical disability?

In Nova Scotia, over 140,000 people are living with a disability. 1 in 5 Nova Scotians, 15 years and older, identify as having a disability and the unemployment rate for persons with disabilities in the province is 16%.

As an employer, you have a duty to accommodate employees with disabilities and to implement measures that allow them to perform their duties to the best of their abilities. This means determining what barriers might affect the person requesting the accommodation and exploring options for removing those barriers while maintaining privacy and confidentiality.

The Nova Scotia Human Rights Commission offers a free online course, Working With Abilities which will help you;

• Understand the Nova Scotia Human Rights Act’s definition of disability
• Learn about various forms of mental and physical disabilities
• Build your understanding of employer obligations in Nova Scotia through the duty to accommodate
• Learn best practices to build a respectful workplace culture for persons with disabilities

To find out more about this course visit the Nova Scotia Human Rights Commission website or call 1 877 269 7699 (Toll-Free in Nova Scotia)