Discrimination, harassment and bullying still occur, especially for people with a disability.
The Commission’s annual report has been released with 252 allegations of discrimination or harassment. Just over half of them involving a physical or mental disability.
Chair Randy Dickinson tells us they offer mediation from the time first contact the office even before they file the official complaint forms.
He says most of their issues are resolved through mediation or it may be that the investigation finds discrimation but not enough evidence to proceed to a board of inquiry.
The next most common allegations concern sex discrimination, accounting for seven percent of the allegations, most of which involved pregnancy.
There is no cost involved in filing a complaint with provincial human rights commission and you don’t necessarily need a lawyer to represent either side.
Dickinson says it’s not needed to participant because its not a court action.
To read the full report,
http://www.gnb.ca/hrc-cdp/e/r/Annual-report-2013-14-New-Brunswick-Human-Rights-Commission.pdf
