Policy Statement
The Soccer Club of Toronto (SC Toronto) through its Board of Directors, is committed to fostering respect and dignity for each of its employees and members. This policy is intended to guarantee equal opportunities and a working environment free of discrimination to all those members and employees. Discrimination on the grounds of sex, race, ethnic origin, class, age, sexual orientation, family status, religion or disability is expressly forbidden within the any work-related activity, in any of the employment or recruitment practices of SC Toronto or in any SC Toronto sanctioned soccer programs and services. In addition, SC Toronto will take positive measures to ensure that employment opportunities with the SC Toronto are equally available to all employees and prospective employees.
Defining the Term
A. Right to Equal Opportunity
SC Toronto prohibits any treatment which has a discriminatory effect on any person based on any of the following prohibited grounds; sex, race, ethnic origin, class, age, family status, sexual orientation, religion, or disability. In addition to the rights ensured by this policy, applicants and employees have a legal right to equal opportunities at work. Discrimination is prohibited by several pieces of legislation, including the Canadian Human Rights Act and provincial human rights acts. Providing equal opportunities also mandates that SC Toronto identify and address any barriers to success in and access: I. To employment at SC Toronto; and II. To participate in any SC Toronto sanctioned soccer programs and services. Said mandate shall be done both in response to and prior to complaints being made about those barriers.
B. Discrimination
Discrimination is defined as any distinction that disproportionately and negatively impacts on an individual or group in a way that it does not impact on others. Whether such discrimination is intentional is irrelevant. Rather, the effect of the acts on the target of the discrimination is the relevant criterion.
• Direct Discrimination
Direct discrimination occurs where an individual is treated less favorably than others based on a prohibited ground. If, for example, a prospective employee was refused a job because SC Toronto said that members would be uncomfortable with any one or more of the prohibited ground of discrimination, direct discrimination would be operative.
• Indirect Discrimination
Indirect discrimination occurs where practices or acts not reasonably related to job requirements or participation in any SC Toronto sanctioned soccer programs and services have a negative impact on individuals or groups based on a prohibited ground of discrimination. For example, an unnecessary height restriction that eliminates most women from consideration for a job is an example of indirect discrimination. Equity & Inclusion Policy
• Systemic Discrimination
Systemic discrimination may occur where long term practices have resulted in structures of work that disadvantage individuals because they are members of certain groups. For example, long, unpredictable and inflexible hours of work may systematically prevent women with child care responsibilities from pursuing career opportunities.
• Adverse Effect Discrimination
Adverse effect discrimination occurs when the application of an apparently neutral law or policy has a disproportionate and harmful impact on individuals from social groups. For example, a dress code that required all employees or members to wear a particular type of hat would adversely impact on persons who, for religious reasons, wear turbans.
• Retaliation
Retaliation occurs where a person has made a complaint of discrimination and the party who is alleged to have committed the discriminatory act takes further or increased harmful action toward the complainant because of that complaint.
C. Pregnancy Discrimination Is Sex Discrimination
Where opportunities are denied to a woman because of a pregnancy or an anticipated or possible pregnancy, that woman has been discriminated against on the basis of sex. Sex discrimination is prohibited.
D. Sexual Harassment Is Sex Discrimination
Sexual harassment in the workplace, both in the form of direct sexual demands or threats related to employment advantages or disadvantages, or in the form of sexist attitudes or treatment that poisons a workplace atmosphere, constitutes sex discrimination and is prohibited. A workplace free of sexual discrimination is an employee’s right. SC Toronto, through its Board of Directors, is committed to ensuring that no sexual harassment occurs in any work-related exchange and any SC Toronto sanctioned soccer programs and services. Any complaints concerning allegations of sexual harassment will be dealt with through the complaints process in the Ontario Soccer Association sexual harassment policy.
E. Special Programs
Employment discrimination involves distinctions that negatively impact on particular people or groups based on prohibited characteristics unrelated to the job. Where special programs make distinctions based on the same characteristics but which are intended to address past restrictions and expand employment opportunities, the program is remedial rather than one that perpetuates discrimination.
F. Employment Decisions Covered
All employment decisions made by SC Toronto are covered by this policy. These decisions include but are not limited to: job advertising, recruitment, hiring, remuneration, benefits, availability of support services, availability of leave, professional opportunities and advancement. Any Equity & Inclusion Policy decisions made in any of these areas must be made on the basis of performance-based criteria such as qualifications, experience, and merit, rather than on stereotypes or any other discriminatory considerations.
G. Gender Equity
The Soccer Club of Toronto shall promote and practice the principles and processes of gender equity in all aspects of soccer at SC Toronto to provide fair and balanced access to resources, programs and a full range of opportunities for males and females in the sport. This will apply to athletes, coaches, referees, administrators, and other persons involved in soccer. The board of directors will cause to be established and maintained a set of operational procedures to ensure that workplace and program processes provide an active commitment to the principles of gender equity within the soccer Club of Toronto
IMPLEMENTATION
A. Recruitment
All SC Toronto promotional materials will attempt to encourage diversity among applicants to the club. They will state that SC Toronto is an equal opportunity employer that welcomes applicants from diverse backgrounds and with nontraditional qualifications. SC Toronto policies that have been implemented to promote equal opportunities, such as the parental leave or alternative work arrangement policies, as well as our policies which aim to prohibit discrimination, such as the workplace equity or sexual harassment policies will also be listed.
B. Interviewing
Recognizing that most human rights legislation prohibits making employment decisions on the basis of characteristics such as family status, sexual orientation, or religion, questions that even indirectly solicit such personal information are to be avoided by those interviewing for the club.
Instead, open-ended questions that allow an applicant to offer what, if any, personal information that person feels is appropriate should be asked. The interviewer will outline SC Toronto’s expectations and job description in some detail. Evaluation criteria will be carefully explained. The applicant will have an opportunity to explain why she or he is especially qualified for the job. The interview will focus on its intended purpose, which is to discover the most qualified candidate for the job. Where questions relating to personal commitment or future are necessary at an interview, all applicants will be asked identical questions. Every applicant will be informed about SC Toronto’s workplace equity policy, sexual harassment policy and any other relevant work-related policies at initial interviews.
C. Hiring
All persons making hiring decisions for SC Toronto will receive education and training to assist them in overcoming discriminatory attitudes. Recognizing that this is a difficult task, hiring, as well as evaluations, remuneration, and professional development will be carried out by committees representing as much of the diversity within SC Toronto as possible.
The objective of this policy is to have traditionally underrepresented groups represented, to the greatest extent possible, on all Equity & Inclusion Policy, SC Toronto’s committees and at all levels of SC Toronto. The Employment Equity clause of this policy will be applied in all decisions regarding hiring and promotion.
D. Policies
I. Employment Equity
SC Toronto is committed to taking steps to remedy any lack of diversity in its workplace and work-related activities. Therefore, where job candidates are of equal or substantially equal merit, but where one candidate is a member of one of the groups intended to be protected by this policy and from which increased representation is sought, that person will be chosen.
E. Recruitment of Volunteers
All members making decisions regarding the recruitment of volunteers for any SC Toronto sanctioned soccer programs and services will do so in accordance with this policy.
F. Budgets
All decisions made by SC Toronto concerning the allocation of its financial resources to various SC Toronto programs and services will be done in accordance with this policy.
G. Sponsorships
SC Toronto is committed to ensuring that all sponsorship decisions will be made in accordance with this policy. This may include, but is not limited to, requesting from potential sponsors such information, as SC Toronto deems necessary, concerning potential sponsors’ sexual harassment and workplace equity policies.
MONITORING/COMPLAINT PROCEDURES
This Policy will be reviewed on an annual basis. Where an employee or member believes that there has been a failure of the policy, the employee or member should follow the complaint procedures identified in SC Toronto sexual harassment policy. SC Toronto will treat all such complaints in a serious manner, will investigate all formal complaints, and will discipline any person found in breach of this policy without regard to their status within SC Toronto. Any person who feels that she or he has suffered from discriminatory treatment should also be reminded of the remedies available to him or her under the applicable human rights legislation. Equity & Inclusion Policy Where a member or employee of SC Toronto has been discriminated against by a nonmember or employee of SC Toronto, SC Toronto will support and assist the person alleging discrimination in whatever manner seems appropriate.
CONCLUSION
This policy is deemed to be remedial in nature and shall receive a fair, large and liberal construction and interpretation as will best ensure the attainment of its true intent, meaning and spirit. There is zero tolerance of discrimination and barriers to equal opportunity at SC Toronto. To support values of equality and justice, SC Toronto will apply those values in its own employment decisions and to any SC Toronto sanctioned soccer programs or services. SC Toronto will review this policy on an annual basis to ensure that it is accomplishing that goal.
