Latest news with #DutytoAccommodateDirective

Ottawa Citizen

Is the federal government failing public servants with disabilities?

Article content These are not rhetorical questions — they are calls to action, and they deserve to be addressed with transparency and urgency. Article content You are not alone in seeing how some human resources systems, rather than supporting accommodation and equity, have too often become vehicles of exclusion, indifference or gatekeeping. When the very structures that are meant to uphold fairness become the source of harm, trust erodes and employees — particularly those with disabilities — are left to navigate an already unequal terrain with fewer and fewer supports. Article content Ableism — whether unconscious or overt — is still deeply embedded in many workplace cultures. It shows up in assumptions about productivity, in resistance to flexible work arrangements, and in the way accommodations are treated as burdens rather than rights. It shows up when requests are scrutinized, disbelieved or delayed to the point of despair. And it shows up, as you so clearly describe, in the erosion of human dignity. Article content Article content The federal public service has made commitments — both legislative and moral — to create barrier-free workplaces. Frameworks such as the Accessible Canada Act, the Duty to Accommodate Directive and departmental diversity and inclusion strategies are meant to guide and support these efforts. But implementation is everything. Policies without accountability are just words on paper. Article content As you know, the duty to accommodate requires that adjustments be made up to the point of undue hardship, taking into account cost, health and safety. Article content However, the threshold for undue hardship is high, and should never be invoked lightly. It is not enough to state a policy exists or corporate liability is too high — departments must live up to the spirit and intent of that policy through transparent, compassionate and evidence-based action. Article content Employees with disabilities must not be expected to carry the burden of culture change alone. While your leadership has undoubtedly created ripples of hope and justice, systemic transformation cannot rest on the shoulders of volunteers. Article content Article content Departments must invest in structural change, including: Article content Mandatory disability bias training for HR professionals and managers Transparent tracking of accommodation timelines and outcomes Clear consequences when legal obligations or ethical duties are ignored Independent oversight mechanisms, including disability-informed ombudspersons and review panels Mental health supports and peer networks for employee advocates experiencing burnout or moral injury Article content It is also essential that federal leaders — from senior executives to front-line managers — actively listen to voices like yours, not defensively, but with humility and a willingness to be accountable. That includes following through on reports of systemic failure, taking allegations of discrimination seriously, and creating mechanisms for redress that do not re-traumatize those who come forward. Article content Finally, I want to say this: you are right to feel the way you do. You are not 'too sensitive.' You are not overreacting. You are responding with the moral clarity of someone who sees injustice and refuses to look away. Your anger is not only valid — it is necessary. It is the fire that calls others to awaken.