‘Many employers wouldn’t go as far as this employer did, but it was working hard to get this individual back to work,' says lawyer
Apr 14, 2025
“Employers are not required to accommodate every single request that an employee has - it's not about the employee's choice, it’s about what they reasonably require based on medical evidence on restrictions.”
So says Laura Dunnigan, an employment lawyer at Mathews Dinsdale in Calgary, after the Alberta Human Rights Tribunal dismissed a worker’s complaint of alleged workplace discrimination on the grounds of mental and physical disability, because there was no evidence of an adverse impact on the worker.
The worker was employed for the Alberta Ministry of Community and Social Services in the department managing the Assured Income for the Severely Handicapped (AISH) program. She had a medical condition that affected her ability to regulate heart rate and blood pressure.
After a lengthy leave of absence, the worker began a return-to-work plan in 2018. Her doctors provided the scope of her accommodation requirements in a letter dated July 18, including driving restrictions, limited walking, and no lifting or squats. The letter also listed some suggested measures to help the worker, including parking close to the building entrance, a private workspace where she could lie down, and a lock box for her medications.
The Ministry gave the worker a specific cubicle upon her return and she was assigned to a lower position...
By Matthew Knott and Nick Bonyhady April 19, 2025 — 5.54pm , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Save articles for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them any tim...