CITY OF HAMILTON
Corporate Services and City Manager’s Office
TO:
COMMITTEE DATE:
SUBJECT/REPORT NO:
WARD(S) AFFECTED:
PREPARED BY:
SUBMITTED BY:
The Mayor and Members,
General Issues Committee
June 3, 2015
Employment Systems Review
FCS15048/CM15006 - (City Wide)
City Wide
Diana Belaisis (905) 546-2424 Ext. 4265
Mike Kirkopoulos (905) 546-2424 Ext. 2261
Cindy Mercanti (905) 546-2424 Ext. 2654
Aine Leadbetter (905) 546-2424 Ext. 6667
Maxine Carter (905) 546-2424 Ext. 6419
Mike Kirkopoulos
Director Corporate Communication and Intergovernmental
Affairs
SIGNATURE:
RECOMMENDATION
(a)
That the City of Hamilton Employment Systems Review Report, prepared by the
Turner Consulting Group dated December 2014, attached as Appendix A to
Report FCS15048/CM15006 be received;
(b)
That staff be directed to implement the first two phases outlined in the Employment
Systems Review (ESR) Action Plan attached as Appendix B to Report
FCS15048/CM15006;
(c)
That phase three of the ESR action plan be approved in principle, with budget and
specific actions to carry out the implementation referred to the 2016 budget
process for consideration; and
(d)
That Council endorses the diversity poster outreach (we call this the Equity and
Inclusion Awareness Campaign) attached as Appendix C to Report
FCS15048/CM15006.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The City of Hamilton (referred to as the City) has taken many steps to build a strong
foundation upon which the City can support and drive diversity and inclusion. The City
has: created the administrative support necessary to achieve changes in the community
through the Access & Equity Office; facilitated the development of policies and
programs to support diversity and equity within the community; and created initiatives to
encourage the inclusion and engagement of all Hamilton residents with their local
government. The City of Hamilton has also focused on creating change and
OUR Vision: To be the best place in Canada to raise a child, promote innovation, engage citizens and provide diverse economic opportunities. OUR Mission: WE provide quality public service that contribute to a healthy, safe and prosperous community, in a sustainable manner. OUR Values: Accountability, Cost Consciousness, Equity, Excellence, Honesty, Innovation, Leadership, Respect and Teamwork SUBJECT: Employment Systems Review (FCS15048/CM15006) - (City Wide)
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championing inclusion and equity internally within its workplace. These initiatives have
included the creation of a strong policy framework; sound employment practices; the
achievement of legislative compliance; and a review of the City’s workplace
demographics through the 2011 Workforce Census.
In 2013, the City commissioned an Employment Systems Review to critically assess the
recruitment and employment practices to ensure legislative compliance and to identify
and provide guidance with regard to any gaps or barriers to inclusion still existing. The
Turner Consulting Group completed the Employment Systems Review in December
2014 (appendix A). Staff developed an action plan to address the recommendations
that were made within the report (appendix B).
This report highlights the areas where the City is achieving best practice as well as
identifies opportunities for improving practices to achieve a more diverse and inclusive
workforce. The ESR Action Plan has been structured into three phases according to
the City’s organizational readiness to implement change as well as the City’s capacity
related to staffing and budget resources.
Alternatives for Consideration – See Page 6
FINANCIAL – STAFFING – LEGAL IMPLICATIONS
The recommendations within phase one of the action plan, can be integrated within
existing activities over time, without additional financial resources. A number of
initiatives have already been implemented with minimal financial impact.
Implementation of the second and third phases of the action plan has financial and
staffing implications.
Financial: Resources would be required to develop training and education modules for
staff, for additional targeted outreach programs and to support the collection and
analysis of data upon which the City can benchmark and measure success in increasing
workplace diversity. Some of this work has already begun within current budgets and
limited resources.
Staffing: An additional FTE would likely be required to develop and implement phase
three of the action plan as well as maintain an ongoing focus on and oversight of the
City’s workforce diversity strategy.
HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
In 2001 Council made a strong commitment to (1) the high value of the diversity of its
residents and (2) developing, promoting and achieving an equitable and inclusive
environment. The Access & Equity Office was established to carry out this commitment
with a mandate to review, develop and implement policies, practices, programs,
services and opportunities to ensure that equity and access are key considerations in
the way the City of Hamilton delivers service and to remove and prevent further barriers
to the equitable participation of the City’s diverse communities.
OUR Vision: To be the best place in Canada to raise a child, promote innovation, engage citizens and provide diverse economic opportunities. OUR Mission: WE provide quality public service that contribute to a healthy, safe and prosperous community, in a sustainable manner. OUR Values: Accountability, Cost Consciousness, Equity, Excellence, Honesty, Innovation, Leadership, Respect and Teamwork SUBJECT: Employment Systems Review (FCS15048/CM15006) - (City Wide)
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The Access & Equity Office has supported the implementation of a number of initiatives
including a corporate Equity and Inclusion Policy. The policy has a number of stated
outcomes that impact the community and the workplace including:



ensuring that the principles of equity, inclusion, diversity, and public engagement
inform City-wide policies, practices and programs;
ensuring that equity, inclusion and diversity principles are embedded within all
City of Hamilton programs and services; and
ensuring that the staff of the City is reflective of the community we serve.
The City of Hamilton has placed a high priority on building a workplace that is equitable
and inclusive, representative of the community in which we serve, and is fully compliant
with all legislation including the Access for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) and
the Ontario Human Rights Code (OHRC). The importance placed on diversity in the
workforce was also formalized within the 2012-2015 strategic plan, where City
leadership made a commitment to building a skilled and capable workforce to deliver
business objectives. A key action under this strategy was to develop an attraction and
retention strategy that fosters a diverse and inclusive workforce.
The City of Hamilton, through Human Resources, has built a strong foundation of
practice, policy, and expertise in support of an inclusive and equitable workplace. A
number of progressive policies and procedures that set a high standard for equity and
transparency in the hiring process have been established. The City has ensured that all
Human Resource practices and policies meet our provincially legislated requirements to
provide safe, healthy and inclusive workplaces. The City has also worked to shape a
supportive workplace culture through the development of training with regard to issues
such as racial equity, respectful workplaces and workplace accommodation.
In 2011, Human Resources oversaw the City’s first Workforce Census, to determine the
extent to which the City’s workforce was reflective of the diverse communities we serve.
The Workforce Census set a baseline upon which the City could gauge success in its
inclusion initiatives and provided data on our employee population to inform Human
Resources planning, program development and resource allocation. The Workforce
Census also provided a number of recommendations to foster an inclusive organization.
In 2013, Human Resources, with support from Access and Equity, voluntarily put its
programs and processes under the microscope when it was decided to embark on an
Employment Systems Review (ESR). An ESR is typically conducted in organizations
(such as Federal Government Departments) that have a legislative requirement to
review their practices to assess inclusion and equity. Such reviews are valuable as they
not only ensure legislative compliance but also critically assess current practices to
determine if there are any gaps or barriers to inclusion. The City of Hamilton sought to
proactively commission an ESR to determine the impact that work in this area has had,
and to get a clearer sense of what areas needed to be improved upon in order to meet
the objectives of the Equity and Inclusion Policy. The objective was to see what was
currently being done to address these topics; what would require more attention; and
lastly, areas that required us to change our approach. This review, conducted by an
external consulting group, took a critical look at the City of Hamilton’s employment
practices, policies and programs to determine if:
OUR Vision: To be the best place in Canada to raise a child, promote innovation, engage citizens and provide diverse economic opportunities. OUR Mission: WE provide quality public service that contribute to a healthy, safe and prosperous community, in a sustainable manner. OUR Values: Accountability, Cost Consciousness, Equity, Excellence, Honesty, Innovation, Leadership, Respect and Teamwork SUBJECT: Employment Systems Review (FCS15048/CM15006) - (City Wide)
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(1) The City was in conformance with the legislative requirements under the AODA;
(2) The goals outlined in the Workforce Census were being met;
(3) The outcomes identified in the Equity and Inclusion Policy had been realized;
(4) There were difficulties and potential gaps in gaining employment or to full
inclusion within the City of Hamilton’s workplace.
Further, the consultant was asked to provide the City of Hamilton with guidance and
strategies to assist the City in achieving a workforce that is representative of the
community in which we serve.
There are limitations in this work, in that it is a snap shot and review of documentation
that is constantly being updated. Significant policy updates have occurred since this
Employment Systems Review was undertaken. Furthermore, the analysis didn't
consider work in progress, only completed policies and practices. For example, the
inclusion and equity campaign attached Appendix C to Report FCS15048/CM15006 is
an example of such work that occurred post-review.
POLICY IMPLICATIONS AND LEGISLATED REQUIREMENTS
The ESR was conducted in part to review existing employment and recruitment related
policies and practices and to determine legislative compliance.
As such, the
recommendations from the ESR have impacted a number of City of Hamilton policies
and procedures that were under development, have since been reviewed and updated,
and the recommendations will continue to provide a lens through which all policies will
be developed and reviewed.
RELEVANT CONSULTATION
The City Manager’s Office, Corporate Communications, Human Resources and the
Access and Equity Office reviewed the findings of the ESR and developed an action
plan. Key experts in Community Services have also been consulted for input into the
action plan.
ANALYSIS AND RATIONALE FOR RECOMMENDATION
In addition to the City of Hamilton’s responsibility to lead diversity initiatives within the
community, there are also many additional benefits to having a diverse and inclusive
workplace. Diverse workplaces have been found to: improve the attraction and retention
of top talent; advance innovation and creativity in the workplace; provide enhanced
customer service; increase employee engagement; adapt to change more readily; and
promote organizational values (HR Council 2014).
A diverse workplace also benefits a corporation in its relationship with the community.
When the diversity of the community is reflected in a workplace, community
engagement and trust has been shown to increase. Diversity increases connections to
the community and provides for the opportunity to develop strategic partnerships,
particularly with sections of the community that have been traditionally under
represented (Ontario Ministry of Children and Youth Services, 2008).
OUR Vision: To be the best place in Canada to raise a child, promote innovation, engage citizens and provide diverse economic opportunities. OUR Mission: WE provide quality public service that contribute to a healthy, safe and prosperous community, in a sustainable manner. OUR Values: Accountability, Cost Consciousness, Equity, Excellence, Honesty, Innovation, Leadership, Respect and Teamwork SUBJECT: Employment Systems Review (FCS15048/CM15006) - (City Wide)
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The Employment Services Review provided a number of recommendations based on
best practices that the City can implement to meet the goal of achieving a fully diverse
workforce. The recommendations made within the report can be summarized into three
categories: policy framework; corporate culture; leadership and organizational change,
each including specific actions and initiatives. Staff recommend a phased approach to
address the recommendations of the ESR based on organizational readiness and
resource requirements.
Phased Approach to Addressing the Employment Systems Review
(1) Policy Framework
(2) Corporate Culture




Policies
Processes
Practices


Workplace and
corporate culture
Experiences and
perceptions
Communication and
Education
(3) Leadership and
Organizational Change
 Creating an Environment of
Change
 Identifying areas that
require further investigation
 Data collection and
measurement of change
Impact on Diversity and Inclusion in the Workplace Increases with each Phase
The first phase of the action plan addresses the policy framework governing recruitment
and employment at the City of Hamilton. The ESR found that the City has strong
policies, procedures, and processes in place to support a diverse, inclusive and
equitable workplace. Recommendations to strengthen this area were minor, and
consisted primarily of edits to existing policies and suggestions for more inclusive
language. Staff is in the process of updating policies and procedures to reflect the
recommendations, with many of the changes already completed. The Employment
Accommodation Policy and its associated procedures (Recruitment and Workplace
Accommodation) were recently finalized and approved (attached as Appendix D to
Report FCS15048/CM15006).
The second phase of the action plan addresses recommendations made with regard to
overall corporate culture. A key segment of this is communication and education. It
involves building awareness. One key way in which this will be done is through the in
diversity poster outreach in the Equity and Inclusion Awareness Campaign developed in
conjunction with a cross-departmental staff group intended to educate and create
awareness of inclusion and diversity principles. See Appendix C to Report
FCS15048/CM15006.
OUR Vision: To be the best place in Canada to raise a child, promote innovation, engage citizens and provide diverse economic opportunities. OUR Mission: WE provide quality public service that contribute to a healthy, safe and prosperous community, in a sustainable manner. OUR Values: Accountability, Cost Consciousness, Equity, Excellence, Honesty, Innovation, Leadership, Respect and Teamwork SUBJECT: Employment Systems Review (FCS15048/CM15006) - (City Wide)
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The findings of the Employment Systems Review revealed that the City of Hamilton has
a strong policy foundation, but could focus more on the individual experiences of
exclusion at the City. To address these perceptions and advance corporate culture, the
second phase of the action plan seeks to provide support and education for employees,
increase awareness of the City of Hamilton’s employment practices, and continue to
build upon a positive corporate culture.
There is some work already under way to address the issue of corporate culture,
experiences and perceptions which would assist in addressing a number of the
recommendations made within the ESR. Since the initiation of the ESR, the City has
developed and introduced Corporate Culture Pillars and has worked to positively
improve corporate culture. Additionally, strategies are underway to improve internal
communications; this initiative will provide a vehicle through which awareness
campaigns can be disseminated. The upcoming poster campaign being undertaken by
Access and Equity to address inclusion and equity will have an internal impact on
corporate culture and inclusion (Appendix C to Report FCS15048/CM15006).
Over time, it is felt that the continuation of current culture initiatives will positively impact
the work environment and will lead to positive changes in perception and experience
within the corporation. Current initiatives and programs will not be able to meet the
recommendations made in the ESR that address issues around perception, culture and
awareness as it relates to diversity and inclusion without investment of time and
resources from the City. Phase two of the action plan requires that the City develop a
focused and intentional training and communications plan to increase awareness in
addition to the development of an inclusion strategy. Full implementation of this phase
of the action plan will require some additional investment and/or a reallocation of current
resources.
The third phase of the ESR action plan speaks to the more substantial and systemic
changes that would positively impact diversity. This phase requires commitment and
investment from the leadership of the City of Hamilton to implement. In order to meet
the goal of having a workplace that is reflective of the community, the City would have
to undertake initiatives such as the development of a benchmarking and metrics system
to assess diversity within the corporation on an ongoing basis, carryout a workforce
census or a workforce diversity audit, and create targeted outreach programs to
encourage and support applications from underrepresented groups. The types of
initiatives require deeper analysis and planning, and would require additional staff
complement and a capital budget. As such, staff is recommending that a more detailed
plan and budget be developed for 2016 budget deliberations.
ALTERNATIVES FOR CONSIDERATION
The City of Hamilton could choose not to put resources into the ESR action plan and
rely on diversity in the corporation to increase naturally over time through the current
recruitment processes.
OUR Vision: To be the best place in Canada to raise a child, promote innovation, engage citizens and provide diverse economic opportunities. OUR Mission: WE provide quality public service that contribute to a healthy, safe and prosperous community, in a sustainable manner. OUR Values: Accountability, Cost Consciousness, Equity, Excellence, Honesty, Innovation, Leadership, Respect and Teamwork SUBJECT: Employment Systems Review (FCS15048/CM15006) - (City Wide)
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ALIGNMENT TO THE 2012 – 2015 STRATEGIC PLAN
Strategic Priority #3
Leadership & Governance
WE work together to ensure we are a government that is respectful towards each other
and that the community has confidence and trust in.
Strategic Objective
3.2
Build organizational capacity to ensure the City has a skilled workforce that is
capable and enabled to deliver its business objectives.
APPENDICES AND SCHEDULES ATTACHED
Appendix A - Employment Systems Review Report
Appendix B - Employment Systems Review Action Plan
Appendix C - Equity and Inclusion Policy Poster Awareness Campaign
Appendix D - Employment Accommodation Policy
OUR Vision: To be the best place in Canada to raise a child, promote innovation, engage citizens and provide diverse economic opportunities. OUR Mission: WE provide quality public service that contribute to a healthy, safe and prosperous community, in a sustainable manner. OUR Values: Accountability, Cost Consciousness, Equity, Excellence, Honesty, Innovation, Leadership, Respect and Teamwork Appendix A to Report FCS15048/CM15006
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY December 2014 EMPLOYMENT SYSTEMS REVIEW REPORT
Executive Summary
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
This Employment Systems Review Report is the product of six month's work by the
consulting team to conduct a thorough analysis and review of the City of Hamilton's
employment policies and practices to identify and make recommendations for the
elimination of systemic, cultural and attitudinal barriers to a diverse workforce and full
participation in the City's workforce.
This review focused on achieving compliance with the AODA Employment Standard,
the outcomes identified in the Equity and Inclusion Policy, the goals identified in the
Workforce Census, and identifying strategies that will assist the City in achieving a
workforce representative of the community we serve, with particular focus on the underserved communities.
This review raised a number of issues central to creating equitable hiring practices, a
diverse workforce and inclusive organizational culture. It also identified a number of
issues peripheral to this work, but which will have a significant impact on whether and
how well the City can undertake this work. While we can offer clear and easily
implementable recommendations to remove systemic barriers and comply with the
AODA, the bigger challenge for the City will be a change in organizational culture and
the elimination of attitudinal barriers.
The aim of workplace equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) efforts is not only to create a
workplace that reflects the diversity of the community served. In and of itself, diversity
alone offers little benefit to the organization. The bigger payoff, and more significant
challenge, is creating an inclusive organizational culture in which all employees feel
welcome and included and are able to contribute their best to the organization. When
this happens, the organization will benefit from the strength of diversity through higher
productivity and efficiency, and greater innovation and creativity.
Given the diversity of the GTHA's labour market and the increasing competition for
talent to fill vacancies, this is work that cannot be left to chance. Inclusive organization's
don't happen by chance. More and more organizations throughout the GTHA and the
rest of Canada are recognizing that in order to be an employer of choice, an effective
provider of services, and a good community citizen, they must deliberately and
thoughtfully incorporate EDI into all aspects of their work.
This requires the personal commitment of leaders to boldly lead employees on this
journey. It requires the commitment of staff with the time, energy, commitment and
tenacity to guide and nurture corporate programs, specific projects undertaken by
departments, and individuals. It requires patience as well as discussions and action that
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challenge the status quo, with the understanding that this is an ongoing journey and not
a one-time initiative.
Methodology for this review
While the research team was open to exploring any issue of equity that arose in the
course of the Employment Systems Review, the research inquiry was focused on issues
affecting the groups which the City has identified as under-served communities, i.e.,
Aboriginal peoples, persons with disabilities, women, racialized / racial minorities, lowincome, immigrants and people from various religious backgrounds, and people from
the LGBTQ communities.
It is important to note that while the focus is on these under-served groups the removal
of barriers to the hiring, advancement and full inclusion of these groups benefits all
employees and offers benefits to the organization as a whole through improved
productivity, effectiveness and responsiveness to the community served.
To conduct this research, the team used the methodology for conducting an
Employment Systems Review as provided by the federal government to guide
employers that must comply with the requirements of the Employment Equity Act. This
work includes an assessment of each policy, practice or system in terms of:

Legal compliance: to ensure they are in compliance with equity-related
legislation, including the Ontario Human Rights Code and the Accessibility for
Ontarians with Disabilities Act

Consistency: to ensure they are applied in a consistent manner throughout the
organization

Job relatedness: to ensure they are bona fide and objective, and constitute a
business necessity

Validity: to determine whether they objectively predict successful job
performance

Adverse impact: to assess whether they have a disproportionately negative effect
on employees from diverse communities, backgrounds and identities

Reasonable accommodation: to assess whether there are policies and
procedures in place to identify and remove barriers in the workplace that keep
qualified employees from participating equally in all aspects of employment, and

Inclusive: whether policies and practices are inclusive of people from diverse
communities and identities.
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The ESR blends the collection and analysis of both qualitative and quantitative data.
Between October and December 2014, data was collected through the following:

Review of hiring and promotion policies, written procedures and related
documents

Review of 50 competition files to assess how policies are implemented and any
informal practices

Seventeen focus groups in which 109 staff participated. These focus groups
allowed the research team to explore equity issues for specific employee groups

An online survey which was distributed to all staff either via email or paperbased, in which 1,078 staff participated

Meetings with Human Resources staff, and

30 one-on-one interviews with union representatives and managers at all levels.
In total, over 1,200 or 17% of City staff participated in these consultations. This
participation is sufficient to provide us with data to identify workplace issues and make
recommendations for addressing the identified issues.
An Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Vision for the City
Over the past few decades, the population of the city of Hamilton has changed
dramatically. With changes to Canada's immigration policy in the late 1960s which
removed the preference for European immigrants, the city population is now much more
racially, ethnically, religiously and linguistically diverse. With an aging population and
declining birth rates, Canada's population will become increasingly diverse as the
country relies more heavily on immigration for population and labour market growth.
The city population and labour market has also been affected by social changes,
including the increased labour market participation of women, increased societal
integration of persons with disabilities, and increased social acceptance of and
openness from people who belong to the LGBTQ communities. We have also seen an
increased understanding and discussions about issues of social inequality, changes to
the family structure, and intergenerational difference with five generations of Canadians
now in the workforce.
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Census data1 highlight the diversity of the population of Hamilton:

24% of Hamilton's population was born outside of Canada. Hamilton's foreignborn population is for the most part, not a recent one. Almost 40% of Hamilton's
immigrant population settled in the city prior to 1971

While earlier immigrants came primarily from European counties, almost half of
Hamilton's newcomer population comes from Asia and the Middle East

On average, recent immigrants are younger than Hamilton's overall population

Hamilton is the third destination of choice for newcomers to Ontario

1.5% of the city’s population reported an Aboriginal origin

About 14% of Hamilton residents are racialized, i.e., racial minorities

Community organizations estimate that 10% of the adult population belong to the
LGBTQ communities

Approximately 13% of the population has a disability.
These demographic changes and social trends are not unique to the city of Hamilton
and are faced by employers throughout Canada, particularly those in the Greater
Toronto-Hamilton Area (GTHA) which is the most diverse region in Canada.
These demographic and societal changes create a compelling business case for the
City to focus its efforts on creating an inclusive organization. An inclusive organization
includes a diverse workforce made up of people from diverse communities,
backgrounds and identities at all job levels and within all departments. An inclusive
organization leverages this diversity as a source of strength, innovation and creativity,
which adds to the effective delivery of services to a diverse city population.
An inclusive organization is supported by the human resource infrastructure to support
equitable hiring and people management. It also has an organizational culture that
embraces, values and capitalizes on what the rich diversity of its employees has to
offer. It is a place where all employees feel comfortable, that is free from discrimination
and harassment, and where each employee is able to contribute their best.
Along with an organizational commitment, the City's journey to creating an inclusive
organization also requires the personal commitment of leaders and employees. Those
within the organization need to be open to learning about and changing their
perceptions of themselves and those around them. Because this a learning journey
everyone must recognize that the organization and individuals will make mistakes along
1
Data Source: Statistics Canada (2006 Census)
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the way. The challenge for everyone is to learn from these mistakes and apply this
knowledge to create a stronger and more inclusive organization.
While this journey will be challenging this is one that a major employer and key
community partner in the city of Hamilton – within one of the most diverse regions in the
world – must undertake.
The Current State of EDI at the City
In response to the increased diversity of the city population, the City of Hamilton has
made a commitment through the Equity and Inclusion Policy to creating a diverse
workforce and inclusive work environment. But if the organization is to achieve this
vision, this review finds that this work needs to better operationalize and implement this
commitment.
The City also needs to do more to create the conditions under which managers and
staff can engage in this work. This means supporting them to understand why this work
is important, and ensuring that managers have the time, knowledge and support to
effectively manage staff in an inclusive manner and to implement bias-free hiring
practices.
This review has identified strengths on which the City can build as well as gaps, and
critical success factors that the City needs to address if it is to successfully move its
inclusion agenda forward.
1. Organizational strengths
Human Resource Policies and Practices: Through the review of the organization's
human resources policies and practices it was quite evident that the organization has a
strong human resource management infrastructure on which it can build its EDI strategy
and initiatives.
However, while the Human Resource Department has strengthened its practices, the
challenge now becomes ensuring that these practices are communicated, appropriately
monitored and implemented by managers.
Human Rights, Access and Equity Infrastructure: The City also has begun some
good work within the Human Rights Unit as well as the Access and Equity Office on
which further work can be built.
The staff in these offices have helped increase understanding among City staff of
equity, diversity and inclusion. They have also provided much needed guidance and
support to managers and employees to address issues that have arisen and have
delivered training to increase awareness of discrimination, harassment and anti-racism.
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2. Critical success factors
Three factors are critical to the success of the City's workplace EDI efforts. Without
attention to these factors they can become barriers to the successful implementation of
the organization's workplace EDI efforts.
Position EDI as a Business Imperative: In order for this work to generate buy-in from
staff, EDI must be positioned as "the smart thing to do" rather than "the nice thing to
do." A more diverse workforce and inclusive work environment needs to be seen by the
organization as a business imperative that will strengthen its productivity and
innovation, as well as its ability to effectively and appropriately deliver services to a
diverse community.
The diversity of the GTHA will only increase as the country continues to rely on
immigration for population and labour market growth. As such, managers and
employees must understand that a commitment to EDI is critical for the organization.
This means that equity, diversity and inclusion - in the workplace, as this report
addresses, but also in service delivery - needs to be seen as integral to all aspects of
the City's work, and not an add-on.
Leadership Commitment and Capacity: The commitment of the City's senior leaders
and developing their capacity to champion and lead this initiative will be key to leading
this work.
Throughout the consultations for this ESR it is evident that workplace equity, diversity
and inclusion are not top of mind for the organization. If the City is to become an
inclusive organization, it needs to make the commitment to continuing on the EDI
journey and then take steps to operationalize this commitment. This commitment must
then be reflected in the words and deeds of leaders which will then filter down
throughout the organization.
Resourcing: There are a number of recommendations that require minimal investment,
particularly in the area of revising policies. Others require additional resourcing, both
within the Human Resources Department and in other parts of the organization. Without
a commitment to allocating appropriate financial and human resources to implementing
these recommendations and including the implementation of these recommendations
within a broader Workplace Inclusion Strategy, there is little chance of successfully and
effectively making change.
We also recommend that the City hire staff dedicated to workplace EDI to provide the
expertise needed to thoughtfully lead such organizational change. This staff can also
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help to ensure that equity, diversity and inclusion are reflected in other people
management strategies, so that it is engrained into the City's DNA.
It is important to note that the recommendations made within this report were made
without consideration for resourcing. We have identified what we consider are the
activities that the organization needs to undertake if it is to become a more inclusive
organization. It is up to the City to determine the timelines and the resourcing of these
initiatives.
Workload: The City appears to be an organization that is under-resourced and staff are
stretched, particularly at this middle management level. An environment in which
managers do not have the time to appropriately manage staff is not fertile ground for
implementing EDI efforts. While workload is an issue peripheral to workplace equity,
diversity and inclusion, it is central to the organization's ability to successfully make
organizational change.
The Road Ahead: Key EDI Issues and Gaps to Address
This review has identified various issues and gaps that fall into four key priority areas.
These priority areas are the high level "what" that should form the basis of the City's
action planning or a Workplace Inclusion Strategy.
Priority 1: Comply with AODA Employment Standards
The Employment Standards of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act sets
out specific requirements in all areas of employment. The City is not yet in compliance
with these requirements.
Several recommendations made in this report will ensure that the City of Hamilton is in
compliance with the specific requirements of the Employment Standards, including:
Recruitment, Assessment, Selection and Hiring
 Notify candidates about the availability of accommodation during recruitment

Provide assessment and selection materials in an accessible format

Notify successful candidate of the policies for accommodation of employees with
disabilities
Employee Management
 Develop a written process for the development of accommodation plans

Consider accessibility when performance managing, providing career
development or when redeploying as an alternative to layoff

Provide training on the requirements of the accessibility standards to all
employees
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EMPLOYMENT SYSTEMS REVIEW REPORT
Executive Summary
Information and Communication
 Provide all employment-related information in accessible formats (e.g. application
forms, employee orientation material etc.)
Policies
 Develop an organizational accessible employment policy statement

Develop, adopt, document and maintain policies that support the implementation
of the commitments made in the policy statement

Inform employees about these policies.
Priority 2: Create the Infrastructure and Generate Buy-in for this Work
The City should take immediate steps to develop a Workplace Inclusion Strategy and
create the infrastructure to not only implement the recommendations from this report,
but to ensure it is coordinated with the other human resources, equity and diversity work
ongoing within the City. This includes:

Develop a Workplace Inclusion Strategy to strategically address the issues
identified in this report and to implement the commitments made in the Equity
and Inclusion Policy

Creating a business case for workplace EDI, that links this work to a stronger,
more productive, creative and innovative organization that will deliver effective
and relevant services to a diverse city population

Increase employees' understanding of and support for workplace equity, diversity
and inclusion

Devote appropriate financial and human resources to implement this strategy,
including hiring a Workplace Inclusion Manager

Assign a senior leader as the champion of workplace EDI.
:
Priority 3: Create a More Diverse Workforce
As the population of the city of Hamilton and surrounding region has transformed into a
tapestry of colours, customs, languages, accents, beliefs, values and talents, the City of
Hamilton needs to do more to reflect this diversity within the organization.
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EMPLOYMENT SYSTEMS REVIEW REPORT
Executive Summary
As such, several recommendations focus on what the City can do to create a more
diverse workforce, including:

Better using summer employment programs to hire students from under-served
communities

Developing and implementing an outreach recruitment strategy to ensure that
job-seekers from the under-served communities see the City as an inclusive and
equitable employer

Integrating strategies to diversify the workforce in the City's succession planning
strategy and a strategy to fill hard-to-fill positions

Developing programs, such as mentoring and leadership development programs,
to support the hiring and advancement of employees from the under-served
communities.
Priority 4: Create an Inclusive Organizational Culture
The feedback from staff suggests that while some managers and supervisors have
created welcoming and inclusive work environments, more work needs to be done to
support all managers to do the same. In addition, more could be done to increase the
level of understanding among staff about EDI and their role in creating inclusive
workplaces.
As such, the recommendations made include:

Ensuring senior leaders champion the City's EDI efforts and integrate it
throughout the work of their divisions

Providing regular training to all leaders, managers and supervisors about their
responsibility and strategies to create welcoming and inclusive workplaces

Providing regular training to staff about their role in creating and maintaining
welcoming and inclusive workplaces

Collecting and analyzing data to identify issues and assess change over time,
such as conducting an organizational culture survey (annually or bi-annually).
Priority 5: Continue to Strengthen Human Resource Policies and Practices
While the strength of the City's HR policies and practices has been identified as a
strength on which the City can build, recommendations have been made to further
strengthen these policies and practices, and to support compliance.
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EMPLOYMENT SYSTEMS REVIEW REPORT
Executive Summary
These include:

Working with unions to develop Letters of Understanding that deal with
workplace equity and diversity to articulate a joint commitment to examining and
addressing issues of equity and diversity

Making modifications to a range of policies to better align them with equity,
diversity and inclusion principles and practices

Supporting managers to consistently comply with these policies and practices.
Next Steps
The completion of an Employment Systems Review is an important first step for the City
of Hamilton to meeting its stated goals of creating a diverse workforce and inclusive
organizational culture.
We strongly recommended that the completion of this Employment Systems Review
begins a process of coordinated implementation of the recommendations. The
development of a workplan, including timelines and responsibilities, will help ensure that
the list of recommendations are prioritized, is addressed in a coordinated manner, and
that implementation is monitored to ensure all recommendations are addressed and that
adjustments are made as needed.
While the EDI journey ahead will challenge the organization, its leaders and employees,
it is a journey that creates a stronger, more innovative and effective organization that
will better meet the needs of city residents - which is one the diverse city population
deserves.
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Appendix B to Report FCS15048/CM15006
Page 1 of 1
Employment Systems Review
Action Plan 2015 - 2020
Phase One
Policy Framework
Phase Two
Corporate Culture
Phase Three
Leadership and
Organizational Change
Refining
Engaging
Human Resources and Access and
Equity are updating and clarifying
language within existing policies and
procedures to reflect inclusive
practices. 2015
The City will be increasing engagement
through stronger communications,
developing employees, ensuring
inclusive practices, engagement surveys,
and providing support where needed
2015-2018
A workforce diversity strategy to be
developed with targeted programs to
increase inclusion of underrepresented
groups in hiring and employment with the
City of Hamilton. 2016-2020
Learning
Measuring
The City will build awareness and greater
knowledge of policies, programs and
processes and how they contribute to
inclusion and equity within the workforce.
Supports will also be developed for
management
2015-2018
To be able to determine success in efforts,
the city must reassess the composition of
the workforce through a second census
and develop a data collection and
reporting system. 2016-2020
Enhancing
Human Resources staff is reviewing
current hiring systems and applying
an “equity lens” to ensure that City
processes reflect the best practices
in equity and inclusion
2015 and ongoing
Developing
Policies, procedures, scripts and
guides are being developed to further
support inclusion and equity
objectives and to ensure that the City
of Hamilton remains in compliance
with all related legislation
2015 and ongoing
Building
The City will continue to build an
inclusive and equitable work environment
that is supported by corporate culture
pillars
2015-2018
Strategizing
Changing
The City will set targets and develop a
change management plan to ensure that
the goals of the diversity strategy are
realized. 2016-2020
To begin in 2016; additional resources required
Ongoing. Component of Corporate Culture Initiative; additional or reallocation of resources needed
Immediate actions, ongoing management within existing budgets
Appendix C to Report FCS15048/CM15006
Page 1 of 5
City of Hamilton
Equity and Inclusion Policy Poster Awareness Campaign
Background
As a response to the City's growing diversity, the City of Hamilton made an explicit
commitment towards ensuring that the City places a high value on the diversity of its
growing population and desires to develop, promote and possess an equitable and
inclusive environment.
The Equity and Inclusion Policy was developed in order to embed the value of equity
and the principle of inclusion into the way the City does business. The policy also seeks
to foster a city where everyone is respected, valued and receives services, programs
and opportunities, that they need, thereby positioning Hamilton as a model in municipal
practices that welcome, include and nurture diversity and a sense of belonging.
While the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disability (AODA) 2005 legislation is a
directive from the province, the City developed and Council approved our own Policy
commitment to accessibility as part of the Equity and Inclusion Policy that was approved
in 2010. The Province has since made this policy statement a requirement of all
municipalities. Through implementation, the Equity and Inclusion Policy will enhance
decision-making, policy development, service delivery and opportunities, ensuring that
consideration are given to equity, inclusion, diversity and engagement for everyone. It
also ensures a policy commitment to meet the needs of the under-served communities
in Hamilton.
In addition to the development of tools for implementation of the Policy, there was a
commitment to undertake a communications campaign in order to positively reinforce
the purposes and intent of the Equity and Inclusion Policy and the AODA, and to foster
an inclusive and supportive environment. The messaging developed was internally
focused with the opportunity for applicability to the general public.
The Equity Diversity Strategic Implementation Team (EDSIT) consisting of managers,
directors and lead staff from each department, has worked with a Social Marketing and
Communications consultant (IQ3) in selecting and finalizing messaging and images.
The team is in the process of finalizing a distribution plan for the campaign. Also
involved in the review and approval of the message campaign were Michael
Kirkopoulos, Director of Communications, City Manager’s Office, Helen Hale Tomasik,
Executive Director, Human Resources, City Manager’s Office and Mike Zegarac,
General Manager, Corporate Services.
June 3, 2015
Access & Equity
Objectives of the Awareness Campaign
The messages were developed to reinforce the following:




Equity and Inclusion are all-encompassing principles that address many forms of
discrimination and marginalization; there can be no exceptions or selective
interpretations with respect to any group or issue
Equity and Inclusion is integral to robust business practices and the foundation
for an engaged and vibrant city
The City is committed to the implementation of the policies and principles of
accessibility, equity, inclusion and diversity across the organization as a means
to demonstrate collective accountability and sensational service
Accessibility, equity, inclusion and diversity may be leveraged as strategic assets
– particularly in the context of a diverse population and an increasingly globalized
business environment; they are key hallmarks within any progressive
organizational structure and the backbone of a healthy and productive economy
Campaign Summary
The communication messages are designed to educate Council, all employees,
volunteers, agents, consultants and contractors working on behalf of the City about the
meaning and intent of the Equity and Inclusion Policy and the AODA 2005.
Who: The messages will target internal (70% of messages) and external stakeholders
(30% of messages) to understand the purpose and intent of the AODA and the Equity
and Inclusion Policy and the respective roles and responsibilities of management and
staff.
When: The implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the communication messages
will take place over the next 12 – 18 months however, most intensely, the roll out of the
messages will take place over the next six to eight months.
How: The messages will be delivered through electronic (computer and monitor
screens) and poster/paper communications systems to the appropriate audiences and
stakeholders.
Follow up or questions that are generated from the staff and/or community will be
addressed via the link in the footer of the messages to the FAQ information and through
the phone number 905 546-CITY and to the appropriate contacts that are members of
EDSIT.
Campaign Themes
The campaign is framed to be thought-provoking and empathetic, with themes centred
on diversity, diversity at work, equity, inclusion, open doors, service and choice, antiJune 3, 2015
Access & Equity
racism, disability, gender equality, sexual orientation, sexism, homophobia, religious
intolerance and bigotry.
Target Audience




City Council, Management and Staff
General population
Underserved groups
Media and civic peer influencers
Schedule
The campaign will start to roll out in late May to early June 2015
June 3, 2015
Access & Equity
Sample of Campaign Messages

Welcome to Hamilton, City Limits: None, Population: Diverse, Opportunities:
Endless
June 3, 2015
Access & Equity
A Promising Future is a Diverse One.
June 3, 2015
Access & Equity
Appendix D to Report FCS15048/CM15006
Page 1 of 7
Corporate Human Resources Policy
Work Environment
Policy No: HR-58-13
Page 1 of 7
Approval: 2015-03-12
Employment Accommodation Policy
POLICY
STATEMENT
The City of Hamilton (“the City”) is committed to providing equitable
treatment to all with respect to Barrier-free employment and
Accommodation without discrimination. The City is committed to
accommodating employees and applicants whenever necessary up to
the point of undue hardship.
PURPOSE
The purpose of this Policy is to outline the City’s commitment to enable
equal access to all employment activities. These activities include
equal access to recruitment, assessment, selection, and hiring
activities for all individuals, and equal access to orientation, nondiscriminatory working conditions, promotion opportunities, training,
performance management and career development for all employees.
Accommodation shall be evaluated for employees who have a
temporary or permanent Disability, or who otherwise need
accommodation based on the protected grounds highlighted in the
Ontario Human Rights Code. All employees and job applicants must
be able to perform the essential duties of the job with or without any
accommodations made. Accommodations may be implemented to
enable employees to fulfill essential job duties and to enable
individuals to equally access recruitment and selection processes.
The City must provide employment accommodation as a legal
obligation under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act
(AODA) and the Ontario Human Rights Code (OHRC).
SCOPE
This Policy applies to all employees of the City which includes but is
not limited to regular, temporary and contract employees. This policy
also applies to volunteers, students and interns. For the purpose of
this policy, collectively these classifications will be called “employees”.
This Policy also applies to external applicants seeking employment
and volunteer opportunities at the City.
For time off for religious observation, see the City’s Accommodation of
Time Required for Religious Observance Policy.
Corporate Human Resources Policy
Work Environment
Policy No: HR-58-13
Page 2 of 7
Approval: 2015-03-12
DEFINITIONS
The following terms referenced in this Policy are defined as:
Accommodation
The obligation that an employer has, to the point of Undue Hardship,
to ensure that Barriers are removed from the workplace such that an
employee can fully participate without discrimination.
i) Individual Accommodation - An adaptation or adjustment that may
be required to enable an employee to perform his or her essential job
responsibilities effectively. This may involve providing technical aids
such as software or hardware, changing some duties or hours of the
employee, when operationally feasible, which allow the employee to
complete the essential duties of the position, reassignment of the
employee into available suitable work, utilization of a service animal in
the workplace, or provision of specific services such as providing
attendant care or sign language interpretation; and job coaches to
assist in the initial training and integration of employees with medical
or development disabilities.
ii) Universal Accommodation The process of identifying and
eliminating Barriers for everyone. This can be done by modifying
policies, programs, procedures and practices, and ensuring that
potential barriers are identified and resolved. Refer to the City’s Equity
& Inclusion Policy for further information as to how the principles of
Equity and Inclusion are embedded in the City of Hamilton’s delivery of
services and programs.
Barrier
Anything that prevents a person from fully participating in all aspects of
society including a physical Barrier, an architectural Barrier, an
information or communications Barrier, an attitudinal Barrier, a
technological Barrier, a formal or informal policy or a practice.
Disability
Covers a broad range and degree of both past and present conditions
in addition to those that are perceived. They can include physical,
mental and learning disabilities. (Ontario Human Rights Commission).
Protected Grounds
The Ontario Human Rights Code prohibits discrimination against
people within specified grounds. Protected grounds include: age,
ancestry, colour, race, citizenship, ethnic origin, place of origin, creed,
disability, family status, marital status (including single status), gender
identity, gender expression, receipt of public assistance (in housing
only), record of offences (in employment only), sex (including
pregnancy and breastfeeding) and sexual orientation.
Undue Hardship
The extent to which an employer must accommodate the needs of an
Corporate Human Resources Policy
Work Environment
Policy No: HR-58-13
Page 3 of 7
Approval: 2015-03-12
employee on grounds protected under the Ontario Human Rights
Code. The City must take all reasonable steps to ensure that an
employee can be accommodated within the workplace; however in
some very limited cases the City may not be obligated to provide
accommodation where it would impact the viability of the corporation.
To meet these exceptions the City has to demonstrate that an
Accommodation would cause Undue Hardship due to (1) costs or (2)
impacts to health and safety requirements.
The following principles apply to this Policy:
PRINCIPLES
1. The City is committed to the fundamental principles of dignity,
independence, integration and equal opportunity that form the
foundation of the AODA. These principles underlie and shape
all City policies, procedures, practices and interactions with all
persons employed by, seeking employment with, or conducting
business with the City.
2. The City values the maintenance of a workplace environment
that is inclusive and free from discrimination for all employees in
accordance with its Equity & Inclusion and Harassment and
Discrimination prevention policies. As such, the City takes into
account Disability, and seeks to remove Barriers and create
equitable access to opportunity for all.
3. The right to accommodation is recognized as being an integral
component of the right to equality for all persons.
4. The City is committed to ensuring the health and safety of all
employees and it is paramount that health and safety policies
and requirements are followed. Accommodation may not be
approved if it puts at risk the health and safety of any individual
5. Under the Ontario Human Rights Code, the City has a
responsibility to remove Barriers within the workplace and
accommodate employees and applicants whenever necessary
up to the point of Undue Hardship.
6. Accommodations will ensure that the dignity and confidentiality
of the employee is respected.
7. Accommodations made will be individualized, inclusive, and will
be developed through the partnership of all involved. There may
be preferences as to the ideal accommodation; however; the
selected accommodation will represent the most appropriate
and reasonable solution.
Corporate Human Resources Policy
Work Environment
Policy No: HR-58-13
Page 4 of 7
Approval: 2015-03-12
TERMS &
CONDITIONS
Individual
Assessment
Accommodation is assessed and delivered on an individual basis for
employees and job applicants who make their needs known; or in
situations when there is reason to believe that accommodation for an
Employee may be required. For example, if an employee has a lot of
sick time, the manager / supervisor has a duty to inquire if
accommodation is needed. Each situation must be considered
individually in order to assess appropriate Accommodation. Requests
for accommodation must be dealt with quickly and effectively so
employees can fully participate in all aspects of employment and
recruitment, except where Undue Hardship can be demonstrated.
Confidentiality
Individuals must be accommodated in ways that respect their dignity,
worth, and right to privacy in the workplace. All information relating to
specific requests for accommodation will be treated as confidential and
will only be used for the purpose of meeting accommodation
requirements. The City will comply with all privacy, confidentiality and
security requirements of the Municipal Freedom of Information and
Protection of Privacy Act.
Performance
Standards
All employees must be able to complete the essential duties of their
position. The City is not obligated to accept substandard or less than
competent performance from an employee who has been
accommodated. In certain circumstances, productivity levels may be
temporarily or permanently adjusted as a form of reasonable
accommodation.
RESPONSIBILITIES The following positions and/or departments are responsible for fulfilling
the responsibilities detailed in this Policy as follows:
1) The Employer
The City must ensure that all recruitment and assessment materials
and processes assess the applicants based on the essential duties of
the job.
The City shall make every reasonable effort to ensure Confidentiality
for employees or job applicants who request individual
Accommodation. A confidential inquiry by an employee’s manager /
supervisor is appropriate if there is reason to believe an
accommodation may be required. Confidentiality includes taking care
to protect all employee records including any Individual
accommodation Plans to remove Barriers for prospective and existing
Corporate Human Resources Policy
Work Environment
Policy No: HR-58-13
Page 5 of 7
Approval: 2015-03-12
employees in compliance with Ontario’s AODA legislation.
2) Employees
Requiring
Accommodation
The employee will notify their supervisor / manager or human
resources regarding the need for accommodation. The employee will
identify any known accommodation needs and will cooperate with
reasonable requests for evidence establishing his/her accommodation
needs. The employee will cooperate with the City in the
accommodation process.
The accommodation is based on individual circumstances and can
include but is not limited to recruitment, selection, training, promotion,
performance appraisal, work tasks and responsibilities, and any other
conditions of employment where the need for accommodation may be
identified.
The process for Accommodation is consultative involving the
employee, the employee’s manager, Human Resources, and, where
appropriate, employee unions, medical practitioners and other third
parties with specialized expertise. Accommodation may result in
specific temporary or permanent changes to a position that may
include the introduction of additional services, adaptations or
adjustments that enable an otherwise qualified individual to compete
for jobs and perform the essential duties of a job.
Management
If a City supervisor or manager has reason to believe there is an
Accommodation need or s/he receives a request, s/he has the
responsibility to initiate action on the request in a timely manner upon
becoming aware of the need. Human Resources and Access & Equity
can consult with Managers on this Policy and provide information with
regard to City resources available to support employee
accommodation.
Human Resources
Human Resources must be contacted for consultation and guidance
concerning any Accommodation. Human Resources will provide
assistance in the preparation of Accommodations for current
employees as well as for job applicants who identify the need. In
accordance with the AODA (Employment Standards) requirements,
the City shall fulfill the following responsibilities:
Recruitment
o Post information about the availability of accommodations for
applicants with disabilities in its recruitment process.
o Ensure that job applicants who are individually selected for an
interview and/or testing are notified that accommodations for
Corporate Human Resources Policy
Work Environment
Policy No: HR-58-13
Page 6 of 7
Approval: 2015-03-12
material to be used in the recruitment process are available,
upon request.
o Request the required support from Access & Equity to book any
required equipment or communications format to provide
accessible accommodations for a job applicant
o Consult with any applicant who requests an accommodation in
a manner that takes into account the applicant’s Disability.
Successful applicants shall be notified about the City’s policies
for accommodating employees with disabilities upon the City
providing a written job offer.
Return to Work Services
o Maintain a Work Accommodation Procedure that can be used to
develop Individual Employee Accommodation Plans for existing
employees, as required.
o Provide consultation and guidance to departmental
managers/supervisors on whether to approve a request for
Individual Employee Accommodation.
o Provide consultation and guidance to departmental
managers/supervisors on how to implement an Individual
Employee Accommodation Plan including how to modify
existing job duties; or redeploying an employee to a suitable
equivalent position if accommodation is not possible due to
inability to perform essential duties or meet health and safety
requirements.
Employee Supports
Human Resources will inform employees of its accommodation
policies to support employees facing barriers in the workplace. This
information shall be provided to new employees as part of the job offer
letter and updated information provided to all employees whenever
there is a change to existing Accommodation related policies.
Access & Equity
Accessible Formats and Communication Supports for Employee
Upon an employee’s request, Access & Equity staff shall consult with
the employee to provide or arrange for the provision of accessible
formats and communication supports for:
Corporate Human Resources Policy
Work Environment
Policy No: HR-58-13
Page 7 of 7
Approval: 2015-03-12
 information needed to perform the employee’s job;
 information generally available to employees in the workplace.
COMPLIANCE
Any Employee who is found to have violated this Employment
Accommodation Policy may be disciplined according to the severity of
the actions, up to and including dismissal.
RELATED
DOCUMENTS
The following related documents are referenced in this Policy:
1. Accommodation of Time Required for Religious Observance
Policy
2. Equity & Inclusion Policy
3. Work Accommodations Procedure for Employees with
Accommodation Needs Based on a Medical Condition or
Disability
4. Recruitment Accommodation Procedure
5. Ontario Human Rights Code, 1990
6. Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005
7. Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act.
HISTORY
The following stakeholders were consulted on this Policy:
 Corporate Policy Review Group
 Access & Equity
 Legal Services
This policy was approved by Senior Management Team on 2015-0312