Employment Equity Policy

Approved: March 4, 2002

Policy Statement

The Toronto Public Library is committed to a policy of fairness and full equity in employment and services in recognition of its obligations and responsibilities as an employer.

The citizens of Toronto are best served by a public service that reflects the diversity of the community which it serves. This will be achieved through employment equity programs that remove barriers and monitor outcomes rather than by establishing requirements to precisely reflect the percentage of designated groups in the community.

The Toronto Public Library will:

  1. hire and promote on the basis of merit and potential;
  2. compensate fairly according to the value of the work performed;
  3. set objectives for equitable representation;
  4. develop a proactive equity plan which will include mechanisms for measuring and monitoring outcomes and results;
  5. publicly report results through an Annual Report to the City of Toronto; and
  6. create a climate of understanding and mutual respect for the dignity of each individual.

Full equality will be achieved through the combined efforts of the Toronto Public Library, its employees, the union, and the community. Specifically, the Toronto Public Library will hire and promote on the basis of merit and potential:

  1. provide equality of opportunity to all individuals, and identify and remove artificial and systemic barriers to full employment with respect to an employees' or potential employees' race, ancestry, place of origin, colour, ethnic origin, citizenship, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, record of offences, marital status, family status, disability and level of literacy;
  2. commit to principles of potential and merit as key criteria for hiring and promotion; will make the best use of the talents of all available workers regardless of their gender, sexual orientation, disability, racial status or Aboriginal status;
  3. ensure equitable compensation practices consistent with pay equity requirements;
  4. work with its employees, the union and community organizations, in the development of strategies and special initiatives to promote equity in the workplace;
  5. implement special programs and accommodation as required to assist specific groups of workers to overcome discrimination, and the barriers of systemic discrimination;
  6. promote the development of proactive strategies by establishing qualitative and quantitative objectives specific to equity principles. Progress on the achievement of results will be measured and reported to the Toronto Public Library Board and City Council;
  7. undertake to educate and inform its employees on equity principles.

Application

This policy covers all employees and prospective employees of the Toronto Public Library. This policy takes into account issues regarding protection of privacy and freedom of information.

Program Components

The Toronto Public Library's Employment Equity Program will consist primarily of the following components:

  1. communication about equity principles, practices and programs;
  2. policy review and development on equity issues (work and family life initiatives which highlight Library policies and departmental practices);
  3. advice and support to departments on the development and implementation of special initiatives; barrier removal (accommodation measures); supportive measures (retention, retraining, deployment); and positive measures (outreach);
  4. for the purpose of identifying barriers and improving process, monitor, provide input and make recommendations on the recruitment, selection, promotional and appointment processes and outcomes when required;
  5. input on staff development and training programs; and
  6. exchange of information via networks with City of Toronto and other municipal, provincial and federal levels and with community agencies.

Information Requirements

To support the implementation of the employment equity policy and specific program components, the Toronto Public Library will engage in the following activities:

  1. conduct voluntary employment equity surveys (applicants and workforce); and

  2. establish and maintain confidential employment equity databases in which:

    Equity-related information regarding designated group status is maintained in a confidential database.

Use is restricted solely to staff who are authorized to engage in activities specifically related to the Toronto Public Library's achievement of equity in employment and services. Applicant data are kept separate from employee data.

Employee and applicant data on designated group status are used for monitoring participation rates, measuring and identifying outcomes, identifying outreach priorities and for responding to Ontario Human Rights Commission complaints.

Data are compiled through a voluntary survey conducted with employees and verified periodically for accuracy and changes, particularly with respect to disability status.