Under the Canadian Human Rights Act, it is illegal for any employer (within federal jurisdiction) to make unlawful distinctions based on prohibited grounds including race, national or ethnic origin, colour, religion and physical or mental disability.
According to Section II of the Act, "Every individual should have an equal opportunity with other individuals to make for himself or herself the life that he or she is able and wishes to have, consistent with his or her duties and obligations as a member of society."
The Act covers employment in federally regulated industries such as chartered banks, VIA Rail, airlines, interprovincial pipelines, as well as transport and telephone companies that do business in more than one province. It covers the federal government itself and all of its agencies, which represents about 11% of all jobs in Canada.
Persons who believe that they have been discriminated against on the basis of their epilepsy can make a complaint to the Canadian Human Rights Commission. The Act provides for an investigation of the complaint, conciliation, or a finding for or against the employer. If the employer is found to have discriminated against the complainant, compensation may be provided.
For further information, contact The Canadian Human Rights Commission - National Office, 320 Queen Street, Tower A, Place de Ville, Ottawa, Ontario K1A 1E1, telephone (613) 995-1151; Fax (613) 996-9661.
Source:
Adapted from Discrimination, employment and life insurance. In: Legal Issues in Epilepsy. The Medicine Group, Ltd.(Mississauga, Ont.) 1998.