Human Rights Policies
All members of the 福利姬 community share the responsibility to uphold the university鈥檚 commitment to foster a learning and working environment free of discrimination, harassment and sexual violence.
The Ontario Human Rights Code (the 鈥淐ode鈥�) is quasi-constitutional provincial legislation that applies to 福利姬 as a provincially-regulated educational institution and employer. The Code outlines that every person has a right to equal treatment without discrimination or harassment with respect to accommodation (housing), contracts (the right to enter into a verbal or written commercial agreement), employment, goods, services and facilities, and membership in unions, trade or professional associations.
Protected grounds
Every member of the 福利姬 community has a right to equal treatment without discrimination or harassment on the basis of personal characteristics related to one or more of the following protected grounds under the Code:
- age
- citizenship
- creed
- disability
- marital status and family status
- race, colour, ethnic origin, place of origin and ancestry
- sex
- sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression
- receipt of public assistance (housing only)
- record of offences (employment only)
In implementing the Code at 福利姬, we have two policies that inform how 福利姬 community members interact and the role that all individuals play in ensuring the full and equal participation and dignity of all students, faculty and staff at the university. 罢惭鲍鈥檚 Discrimination and Harassment Policy and Sexual Violence Policy continue to apply on campus, as well as off-campus and online when engaging in university-related activities.
Discrimination and Harassment Policy
This policy provides direction to the university community on human rights matters, including the prohibition of discrimination and harassment with respect to the university鈥檚 delivery of educational services to students, employment of faculty and staff, and the provision of housing to students on the basis of the protected grounds (listed above).
Read the Discrimination and Harassment Policy.
Sexual Violence Policy
This policy provides direction to the university community on matters related to sexual violence, including the ways in which the university is committed to addressing sexual violence and rape culture through survivor support, awareness, outreach, education, training and prevention programs. It also outlines the process for handling reports or complaints of sexual violence incidents.
Read the Sexual Violence Policy.
Discrimination means any form of unequal and adverse treatment or impact on an individual based on one or more of the Protected Grounds, whether denying benefits or imposing burdens or other disadvantages.
Discrimination can be based on multiple Protected Grounds or the intersection of Protected Grounds and require consideration of intersectionality, which is the complex and cumulative way in which the effects of multiple forms of Discrimination, for example, racism, sexism, and ableism, may combine, overlap or intersect rather than being isolated and distinct.
Discrimination may be intentional or unintentional, explicit or subtle. A protected ground only needs to be one factor in the unequal treatment, and it does not need to be the primary or dominant factor. Discrimination may take many forms, including direct discrimination, constructive discrimination or systemic discrimination, and may result from a failure to uphold the Duty to Accommodate.
Direct Discrimination means unequal and adverse treatment of an individual based on a protected ground(s). It often arises from negative attitudes, biases and stereotypes relating to groups identified by Protected Grounds.
Constructive Discrimination (also known as Adverse Effect Discrimination) means where a rule, requirement, policy, or practice appears to treat everyone equally, but instead results in the disadvantage, restriction or exclusion of a group identified by a protected ground(s). There may be a defence to an allegation of Constructive Discrimination where the rule, requirement, policy, or practice is reasonable and justifiable in the circumstances, and where individual accommodations are provided based on Protected Grounds up to the point of undue hardship.
Systemic Discrimination means patterns of behaviour, policies, or practices that are part of an organization's structure that create barriers or perpetuate disadvantages for individuals or groups in relation to Protected Grounds.
Hate Activity means comments or actions against an individual or group motivated by or advocating for hate against them based on any of the Protected Grounds. This may include speech, symbols, slurs, or other expressions of hatred or vilification.
Harassment means a course of unwanted and vexatious comments or conduct connected to one or more of the Protected Grounds where the person responsible for the comments or conduct knows or ought reasonably to know that they are unwelcome. Typically, Harassment involves a series of multiple incidents; however, a single egregious incident may in some circumstances constitute Harassment.
Sexual Harassment means a course of unwanted comments or conduct of a sexually oriented nature where the person responsible for the comments or conduct knows or ought reasonably to know that these are unwelcome. Sexual Harassment may also consist of unwelcome comments or conduct based on gender or that promote gender-based violence, which are not of a sexual nature but are demeaning, such as derogatory gender-based jokes or remarks.
Sexual violence is an umbrella term that covers any sexual act or act targeting a person鈥檚 sexuality, gender identity or gender expression, whether the act is physical or psychological in nature, that is committed, threatened or attempted against a person without the person鈥檚 consent. Sexual violence is, at its core, an abuse of power.
FAQ
How do 罢惭鲍鈥檚 Discrimination and Harassment Policy (DHPP), Sexual Violence Policy (SVP), and Student Code of Non-Academic Conduct (Policy 61) apply to students online?
Yes. These policies may apply to online activity that is connected to the university. The policies apply to discrimination, harassment, sexual violence, and non-academic conduct that negatively impact the study and/or work environment of 福利姬 community members. This includes incidents that occur on campus, off-campus, and online if connected to university activities.
Discrimination, harassment, sexual violence, and non-academic misconduct can and do take place online.
The policies may not apply if the online activity is not connected to university activities.
The policies apply to online classes and communications on university platforms such as Zoom, D2L Learning Brightspace and 福利姬 email.
The policies may apply to student engagement with professors and students during video lectures, tutorials, and meetings, as well as course-related chats and discussion boards.
The DHP applies to discrimination and harassment that occurs within the university community in relation to education, employment, or housing at the university. The discrimination and harassment must also be connected to one or more of the protected grounds listed in the Ontario Human Rights Code.
The protected grounds are:
- Age
- Creed
- Disability
- Marital status and family status
- Race, colour, place of origin, ethnic origin, ancestry, citizenship
- Sex, gender identity, and gender expression
- Sexual orientation
- Receipt of public assistance (accommodation only)
- Record of offenses (employment only)
Examples may include:
- Racist slurs
- Homophobic or transphobic jokes
- Disparaging people based on their religion
- Failing to provide information or examinations in an accessible format
The SVP applies to sexual acts against a person without the person鈥檚 consent, as well as unwelcome comments or conduct that target a person鈥檚 sexuality, gender identity, or gender expression.
Examples may include:
- Unwanted comments or jokes of a sexual nature
- Stalking
- Sexually explicit images
- Cyber-sexual violence
- Any physical sexual contact without mutual consent
罢惭鲍鈥檚 Student Code of Non-Academic Conduct (Policy 61) applies to non-academic behavior of students and student groups that does not uphold the community standards of the university as outlined in the policy.
Examples may include:
- Behaviour that is violent, threatening, abusive, or demeaning
- Disruption of learning, teaching, and working environments
- Misuse or abuse of facilities, equipment, materials, processes, policies or services
The university embraces the free exchange of ideas within a culture of mutual respect. Recognizing and respecting diversity of people, thought and expression are an essential part of this ideal.
The policies are not intended to inhibit appropriate instances of freedom of expression or academic freedom. Students have the freedom to express themselves online, which includes the freedom to consider, inquire and write about any topic. This includes information and ideas that may be considered offensive or contrary to widely-held opinions.
The policies may place limits on freedom of expression to the extent that students鈥� online activities have a connection to the university and constitute discrimination, harassment, sexual violence, or non-academic misconduct as defined by the policies and/or the law.
The policies typically do not apply to the following types of free expression online:
- Asking questions
- Engaging in discussions or debates about controversial topics
- Political statements or critiques
- Participating in peaceful and lawful assembles and demonstrations
More information can be found in the university鈥檚 (PDF file) Statement on Freedom of Speech.
Students can contact Human Rights Services with questions about the Discrimination and Harassment Policy and Sexual Violence Policy.
- Email: humanrights@torontomu.ca
- Phone: 416-979-5349
Students can contact Consent Comes First, the Office of Sexual Violence Support and Education if they have been affected by sexual or gender-based violence.
- Email: osvse@torontomu.ca
Students can contact the Student Conduct Office with questions about the Student Code of Non-Academic Conduct (Policy 61).
- Email: rsco@torontomu.ca
Yes. University community members can file complaints with Human Rights Services if the complaints involve another community member鈥檚 online conduct that is connected to university activities and is believed to be discrimination, harassment, and/or sexual violence under the Discrimination and Harassment Policy or the Sexual Violence Policy.
- Email: humanrights@torontomu.ca
- Phone: 416-979-5349
Yes. University community members can file complaints under the Student Code of Non-Academic Conduct (Policy 61) if the complaints involve a student鈥檚 online conduct that is connected to university activities and involves student behaviour that is not related to the Discrimination and Harassment Policy or the Sexual Violence Policy (see above).
- Website:
- Email: rsco@torontomu.ca
Human Rights Services
- Human Rights Services works to promote an equitable and inclusive campus community, free from discrimination and harassment based on the protected grounds identified in the Ontario Human Rights Code.
- Prevention through education is one of our key goals. We work to empower individuals, groups and units with the tools and understanding to address human rights concerns.
- Human Rights Services offers free and confidential complaint resolution services to the university鈥檚 students, faculty, staff and community members based on the Discrimination and Harassment Policy and the Sexual Violence Policy.
Sexual Violence Support Services
All 福利姬 community members, including students, faculty and staff, can access services from Consent Comes First and Human Rights Services.
Consent Comes First
- Free and confidential support for those affected by sexual violence, harassment and other forms of gender-based violence (whether it occurred on- or off-campus, or if they were subjected to the violence before they came to 福利姬).
- Connection to counselling and medical services, safety planning, academic considerations and workplace accommodations, and more.
- Support to students to make an informed decision should an individual choose to report to authorities within the university, police or professional bodies.
- Core customized workshops, seminars and speakers to foster understanding of topics such as online harassment, bystander intervention, consent in the workplace, sexual harasment and sexual violence. The team is responsible for coordinating campus-wide education on sexual violence.
- Community programming and campaigns for the wider campus community on gender justice, sexual violence, dismantling rape culture and creating cultures of consent.
Consent Comes First works as a team to support people affected by sexual violence, including those who have directly harmed and those supporting them. We offer training, policy work, and education campaigns for the broader 福利姬 community.
If 福利姬 community members have been affected by sexual violence, they should contact Consent Comes First to be connected to services and for expert support thinking through options. CCF is here to listen.
Consent Comes First is responsible for administering part 1 of the Sexual Violence Policy (Education and Support).
Workplace Wellbeing Services
HR鈥檚 Workplace Wellbeing Services team is committed to strengthening 福利姬 as a healthy, diverse, inclusive and equitable workplace. To help create a culture where all employees can bring their whole selves to work, the team can:
- provide information, guidance and support to leaders and employees when an employee experiences a health-related issue that may result in short or long term sick leave;
- work with leaders, employees, unions and human resources to identify, implement and monitor accommodation plans for employees with disabilities;
- provide resources that support employee wellbeing and healthy workplaces; and,
- provide trauma informed support for 福利姬 staff and faculty affected by sexual violence and other forms of gender based violence.
To contact the team, email wws@torontomu.ca.