View source for I Am Being Discriminated against or Sexually Harassed

{{Template:Legal Help Guide TOC}}The law prohibits discrimination in housing, the workplace and the provision of services, where the discrimination is based on grounds such as race, national or ethnic origin, colour, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, marital or family status, <span class="noglossary">disability</span> or criminal record. Some types of discrimination are excused if the discrimination is reasonable and necessary.

== First steps ==
#If the discrimination happened in the workplace, get a copy of your employer's personnel policies. Most employers have a policy and procedure for dealing with harassment and employee grievances. It is usually best to follow the procedure in these internal policies first.
#If you can't resolve your complaint quickly using your employer's policies, you can make a human rights complaint to either the BC Human Rights Tribunal (if you have a provincially regulated employer) or to the Canadian Human Rights Commission (if you have a federally regulated employer). Most employers are provincially regulated, but some — like the federal government, chartered banks, Indian bands and tribal councils, and national airlines and railways — are federally regulated. To find out if you are dealing with a federally regulated body, <span class="noglossary">contact</span> the [http://www.chrc-ccdp.ca/ Canadian Human Rights Commission].
#To make a complaint against a provincially regulated body, call the BC Human Rights Tribunal at 1-888-440-8844 or fill out the online complaint form at their website page "[http://www.bchrt.bc.ca/process/complaint.htm File a Complaint]." Complaint forms are also available at most Service BC (Government Agent) offices. Complaints must be filed within six months of the discriminatory <span class="noglossary">act</span>.
#To make a complaint against a federally regulated body, call the [http://www.chrc-ccdp.ca/discrimination/default-eng.aspx Canadian Human Rights Commission] at 1-888-214-1090. You can also [http://www.chrc-ccdp.ca/contact/default-eng.aspx <span class="noglossary">contact</span>] the Commission by fax or email. Complaints must be filed within one year of the discriminatory <span class="noglossary">act</span>.

== What happens next ==
Once you make a complaint, a representative of the Tribunal or Commission will <span class="noglossary">contact</span> you. They will work with you and the discriminating <span class="noglossary">party</span> (<span class="noglossary">respondent</span>) to see if the problem can be resolved through mediation. If not, the matter may go to a hearing before a human rights tribunal.

If your complaint goes to a human rights tribunal, you (or your lawyer) will give your evidence of discrimination and call any witnesses to it. The employer (or its lawyer) can cross-examine you and your witnesses and then call witnesses of its own. You or your lawyer will be able to cross-examine these witnesses. The tribunal member will decide whether you have proved the discrimination, and can <span class="noglossary">order</span> the employer to stop the discriminating behaviour, or to pay you compensation for the harm done to you, or both.

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| tips = Although the above information talks about discrimination or sexual harassment in employment, the same process applies to discrimination in housing and the provision of services as well.
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== Where to get help ==
See the [[Resource List for Legal Help for British Columbians|Resource List]] in this Guide for a list of helpful resources. Your best bets are:
*[[BC Human Rights Coalition]]: The Coalition runs workshops to help people file their complaints, and also represents human rights complainants in the early stages of the process. You must apply for <span class="noglossary">representation</span> within 30 days of your complaint being accepted by the BC Human Rights Tribunal. 
*[[Community Legal Assistance Society]]: CLAS lawyers represent human rights complainants in hearings before the BC Human Rights Tribunal.
*[[PovNet]], for <span class="noglossary">contact</span> and website information for human rights advocates near you.
*[[Access Pro Bono]], [[Lawyer Referral Service]], and [[Private Bar Lawyers|private bar lawyers]].
*The Clicklaw common question "[http://www.clicklaw.bc.ca/question/commonquestion/1093 I've been discriminated against]."

Before meeting with a lawyer or advocate, complete the form [[Preparing for Your Interview]] included in this Guide. Make sure you bring copies of all documents relating to your case.

{{REVIEWED | reviewer = [[Kaity Cooper]], March 2013}}

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