Canadian employers urged to stay course on DEI – while understanding legalities
Recently, DEI initiatives were once again in the spotlight south of the border, when Coca-Cola was faced with a lawsuit. The United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) claimed the company violated the Civil Rights Act by denying male employees the “same compensation, terms, conditions or privileges of employment offered and provided to female employees” by excluding male employees from an employer-sponsored trip and networking event.
These kinds of headlines — more common under the presidency of Donald Trump — have many organizations concerned about their DEI initiatives.
But Canadian employers shouldn’t shy away from diversity, equity and inclusion efforts in light of ongoing U.S. backlash — as long as their initiatives are rooted in Canadian human rights and employment laws and designed to be inclusive and merit-based, say two employment lawyers.
“I think what's missing in all of the discussions about DEI is an understanding that it has developed as a result of historical wrongs, significant discriminatory practices and policies, and unfair treatment of women, racialized people, and minorities in general — this is not in a vacuum,” says Soma Ray-Ellis, partner and chair of the employment group at Gardner Roberts in Toronto.
DEI in Canada is understood through the lens of a wide range of federal and provincial laws, says Ray-Ellis....
exporters knowingly avoided U. S. duties on Asian and European flat-rolled steel products, agreeing to pay $19 million to resolve the dispute, according to a press release issued Wednesday by the U...