The employer's duty to accommodate

Myth or fact?

Employers have a duty to accommodate a worker's religious practices.
  • Myth
  • Fact

Workers are individuals, not robots. The requirements of a workplace can affect different workers differently. For example, the requirement to work a regular work week disadvantages a worker whose religion has holy days that fall on a weekday. When a personal characteristic protected under human rights law is involved (such as religion, or age or disability or sex), employers must do what they can to accommodate these differences. Learn about this duty to accommodate.

What you should know 

Work out the problem

Common questions

Who can help

The BC Human Rights Tribunal lists organizations that can help if you feel you’ve been discriminated against. Below are some of the key ones.

  • This information applies to British Columbia, Canada
  • Reviewed for legal accuracy in November 2022
  • Time to read: 8 minutes

Reviewed for legal accuracy by

Sara Hanson, Moore Edgar Lyster LLP

Sara Hanson

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We are grateful to work on the unceded traditional territories of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations, whose Peoples continue to live on and care for these lands.