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TITLE:
SECTION:
POLICY NO:
EMPLOYMENT EQUITY POLICY
HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
4050-01
APPROVAL DATE:
Februacy 26, 2024
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POLICY STATEMENT
The Town of Amherst is committed to diversity and inclusion as it enriches and cultivates a culture of
excellence. Attracting and leveraging a diverse workforce, and creating an environment that embraces
inclusivity, ignites innovation and excellence in service delivery, engagement, and performance. Our
commitment extends to achieving and sustaining a climate of Employment Equity throughout our
organization, with the goal of guaranteeing that every employee enjoys a fair and equitable opportunity
to engage in, and benefit from, all aspects of their employment experience.
OBJECTIVES
The objectives of this policy are to:
1. Promote a culturally competent and inclusive workforce that values diversity by establishing
working conditions that are free from barriers;
2. Define the guiding principles that foster employment equity, diversity and a culturally proficient
workplace that strives for inclusion;
3. Assist with the identification and removal of barriers to employment and advancement.
SCOPE
This policy applies to all prospective and current employees of the Town, regardless of employment
status, and shall be in compliance with the Nova Scotia Human Rights Act Employment Equity Act and
the Dismantling Racism and Hate Act
DEFINITIONS
Accesslbi.lity: the quality of an environment that enables a person to access it with ease.
Cultural Competence: Attitudes, behaviors and policies which enable employees and organizations to
work effectively and develop meaningful relationships with people of various cultural backgrounds.
Disability: a physical, mental, intellectual, cognitive, sensory, learning or communication impairment,
or a functional limitation, whether apparent or not, and permanent, temporary or episodic in nature,
that hinders a person's full and equal participation in society when they face a barrier.
Diversity: the variety of identities found within an organization, group or society. Diversity is expressed
through factors such as culture, ethnicity, religion, sex, gender, sexual orientation, age, language,
education, ability, family status or socioeconomic status.
Employment Equity: encourages the establishment of working conditions that are free from barriers
and seeks to correct conditions of disadvantage in employment.
TITLE:
SECTION:
POLICY NO:
EMPLOYMENT EQUITY POLICY
HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
4050-01
Equity: the principle of considering people's unique experiences and differing situations, and ensuring
they have access to the resources and opportunities that are necessary for them to attain just
outcomes.
Fairness: an accessible, consistent and transparent process that is impartial based upon the principles
of merit and equity.
Inclusion: the practice of using proactive measures to create an environment where people feel
welcomed, respected and valued, and to foster a sense of belonging and engagement.
Merit hiring and promoting individuals based on their ability to perform a job.
Reasonable Accommodation: Human rights legislation requires that employers have a duty to
accommodate by providing reasonable accommodations to support the special needs of all employees,
for example, improving accessibility to the workplace, religious observances, and alternative work
arrangements. "Reasonable" imparts a duty to accommodate unless it would impose undue hardship
on the employer.
Systemic barrier: a barrier that results from seemingly neutral systems, practices, policies, traditions or
cultures, and that disadvantages certain individuals or groups of people.
GUIDING PRINCIPLES
Fair Treatment
We are committed to ensuring fair treatment for all employees, acknowledging, respecting, and
accommodating different needs when reasonably possible.
Inclusive Workplace
We are committed to building an inclusive workplace by drawing on the ideas and talents of all
employees.
Diverse Workforce
We recognize and embrace the unique perspectives and abilities of a qualified and diverse workforce,
while valuing and appreciating the skills, creativity and innovation that diversity contributes to our
team.
Barrier-Free Organization
We are committed to ensuring our systems, policies, practices and work environment are barrier-free
and accessible.
Integrated Approach
We are committed to building diversity and inclusion into organizational plans, policies, practices and
programs.
Equal Opportunity Employer
We are dedicated to achieving equity in the workplace. All individuals have the right of equal
opportunity to employment and promotion without regard to race, nationality or ethnic origin, color,
religion, age, gender, gender identity or expression, marital or family status, or disability.
TITLE:
SECTION:
POLICY NO:
FOCUS:
EMPLOYMENT EQUITY POLICY
HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
4050-01
RECRUITMENT, SELECTION & HIRING
A. Eliminate biased language from job advertisements;
B. Offer flexible working arrangements by default in job ads;
C. Make job requirements clear, specific, and behavior-based;
D. Use structured interviews and develop scoring systems and hiring criteria in advance.
FOCUS:
EMPLOYEE DEVELOPMENT & TRAINING
A. Advancing employment equity concepts in the workplace through education efforts;
B.
Including inclusion, diversity and equity training as a compulsory component of new employee
orientation as well as for all hiring managers, human resources staff;
C. Ensure inclusion and diversity training is integrated into all learning and development
programs;
D. Committing to the development of on-going, long term training strategies.
FOCUS:
PROMOTION & RETENTION
A. Ensuring transparency of promotion, pay and reward processes;
B.
Developing and implementing formal grievance procedures, offering employees alternative
measures to address issues and offering resources for support networks;
C. Performance assessments: using 360-degree evaluations to collect diverse performance
information.
FOCUS:
WORKPLACE FLEXIBILITY & ACCESSIBILITY
A. Enhance workplace flexibility for all employees, allowing them to align professional
responsibilities with other aspects of their lives.
B.
Make workplace or role accommodations available when reasonable and operationally viable.
C. Improve support and flexibility in the workplace by ensuring that staff and Town Council
members with disabilities have access to adaptive technologies, possible accommodations in
the workplace, appropriate and supportive leave practices and return to work plans.
TITLE:
SECTION:
POLICY NO:
EMPLOYMENT EQUITY POLICY
HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
4050-01
ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Chief Administrative Officer
The Chief Administrative Officer will:
a.
Provide leadership in promoting the principles of employment equity
throughout the organization;
b.
Assist in setting goals and objectives for achieving a diverse and inclusive
workforce and incorporate these goals into the municipality's broader
strate ic tans.
Director, HR
The Director of HR will:
a.
Be responsible for the effective implementation of the policy and the
integration of the policy objectives into the organization's HR processes
and practices;
b.
Provide support for training and education programs related to
employment equity;
c.
Monitor the effectiveness of the olic and related initi_at_iv_e_s. ____ ~
Directors and Managers
Directors and Managers will:
a.
Ensure a welcoming and respectful environment for all employees;
b.
Encourage and participate in the training and development of staff;
c.
Translate the principles of employment equity into tangible actions within
their teams.
Employees
Employees will:
For Administrative Use Only:
VERSION LOG
a.
Ensure a welcoming and respectful environment for all employees;
b.
Attend and participate in diversity, employment equity and/or inclusion
training as required;
c.
Participate in the accommodation process when accommodations are
necessa .
MINUTES REFERENCE DATE:
February 26, 2024
TITLE:
SECTION:
POLICY NO:
RESOURCES
EMPLOYMENT EQUITY POLICY
HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
4050-01
-
How to improve workplace equity: Evidence-based actions for employers, Government of
Canada: httgs./www.canada.ca/en/ emplovment-social-
developmentlcorporate/portfoliollabour/orograms/emplovment-equity/reports/emplovers-
improve workplace.html
-
Guide on Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Terminology, Government of Canada:
httos,flwww.canada.ca/ en/ depattment-national-defencef maple-leaf/defence@ 22/05lguide-
equity-diversity-inclusion-terminolog,.v.html
-
Employment Equity Policy, Government of Nova Scotia:
https:1/novascotia. ca/treasuryboard/manuals/PDF/500/50203.pdf
-
Nova Scotia Human Rights Act:
https :/Ins legislature.ca/sites/default/files/leg cf stat utes/h u man %2 0 rights. pd f
-
Nova Scotia Dismantling Racism and Hate Act:
htt ps ://ns legislature .ca/sites/ d efa u lt/files/legc/statutes/ d ism a ntling%20rac is m%20and%20hate.
ru1f
-
Anti-Bias and Inclusion, and Diversity and Culture: Strategies for Working with Differences,
Achieve Centre for Leadership
/