In this webinar, experts will examine recent cases and provide guidance on key issues regarding the accommodation of religious beliefs in the workplace. Topics to be addressed include:

• How have “religion” and “creed” been defined by courts and human rights bodies? What types of non-religious belief systems have been considered to fall under the protected ground of “creed”?
• What types of information or “proof” may employers or unions request to substantiate an employee’s religious belief or practice?
• What lessons can be learned from recent COVID-19 vaccination cases in which employees alleged discrimination on the basis of religion or creed? How have decisions-makers distinguished between protected beliefs and political views or personal preferences? In what circumstances have employees’ beliefs about vaccination been found to be sufficiently connected to their religion or creed?
• How should employers and unions respond when an employee espouses religious or creed-based beliefs in the workplace which may infringe the human rights of other employees?
• In what ways have human rights bodies recognized the potential intersection between discrimination on the basis of religion or creed and discrimination on the basis of other protected grounds, such as ancestry, colour, race, ethnic origin, place of origin, or family status?
• What are some examples of collective agreement language that have recently been negotiated to promote religious diversity at work? What policy changes and other workplace practices can employers and unions implement to this effect?
• What obligations do unions bear in ensuring employees’ religious beliefs are respected and upheld? What lessons may be learned from recent cases in which employees alleged that the failure to advance grievances relating to alleged religious- or creed-based discrimination constituted a breach of the duty of fair representation?