Reporting Discrimination and Harassment by Employers

Discrimination, Harassment, and other problematic behaviour during the Recruitment Process

It should be noted that the information below is focused on Ontario legislation and procedures. Every province has its own unique codes and law society that should be consulted if you face any of the issues addressed below, outside of Ontario.

If you have experienced any incidents that occur outside of what is covered on this website or in our Anonymous Incident Reporting Form  (i.e., acts of physical violence), please visit https://safety.utoronto.ca/#ui-id-7.

Jackman Law is committed to fostering a respectful, diverse and professional learning and work environment in which all individuals are treated with dignity and are free from discrimination and harassment.

We know, through national surveys and student feedback, that the summer and articling recruitment processes are not always positive experiences for law students. We also know that it is difficult for students to speak out about experiences of discrimination, harassment, or other problematic behaviour due to power imbalances inherent in recruitment processes, as well as the unsettled employment positions in which some students find themselves.

We take our students’ experiences seriously and wish to be of help.

If, in the course of any recruiting process, you have experienced discrimination, harassment, or other problematic behaviour, been a witness to such a situation, or just need to talk, we encourage you to seek support.

The resources highlighted on this page are intended to provide information about the avenues available to students to provide informal feedback or make a formal complaint. We encourage you to contact the Career Development Office (“CDO”) or the Graduate Program Team to discuss your options.

How to Provide Feedback and/or Make a Complaint about an Employer

You have the option of giving anonymous feedback, communicating informal feedback, and/or making a formal complaint.

  1. Giving Anonymous Feedback

    You can give anonymous feedback to the CDO or Graduate Programs by completing the Anonymous Incident Reporting form.  

    Anonymous feedback will be used to identify trends and shared experiences, but no action will be taken with respect to an individual student’s complaint. Instead, any trends found in the aggregate data may be reported to an employer directly or raised as a concern at an annual meeting between employers and law schools. The feedback will not be shared until a year after the event took place or until the next corresponding recruitment cycle (i.e., 1L, 2L, or Articling Recruit programs), whichever is longer, unless the student wishes to have the information reported earlier.

  2. Informal, Non-Anonymous Options

    The informal options listed below provide opportunities for you to have your voice heard, share your experiences, and learn more about the next steps or options available to you. These options are not anonymous because they require you to engage personally in the process (i.e. it is not an anonymous form). However, you can request that your name and experience be kept confidential.

    1. Speaking to the CDO or Graduate Program administration

      If you are a JD student, you may request a meeting with the CDO by emailing cdo.law@utoronto.ca or by scheduling an appointment through UTLC. Graduate students can email the Assistant Dean of Graduate Programs at emily.orchard@utoronto.ca. In addition to providing you with information about the formal complaint options available, these offices may engage in outreach to the employer in question, but only with your express consent and after discussing the process and possible outcomes of doing so. 

      If you have given express consent to contact the employer, the administrator who is assisting you will attempt to resolve the issue informally (e.g., receiving an apology, receiving assurances that changes will be made to address the issue, etc.).

    2. Law Society of Ontario (LSO)

      The LSO is the regulatory body that governs Ontario’s lawyers and paralegals, as well as students participating in the summer student recruitment process, Articling process and Law Practice Program (LPP). The LSO does not have specific mechanisms in place to receive feedback from students who have suffered discrimination during the summer or articling recruitment process. It does, however, regulate these processes themselves and will accept complaints about unreasonable conduct by a lawyer in the recruitment context.

      As a member of the Ontario public, a law student can make an informal complaint to the LSO’s Discrimination and Harassment Counsel Service or the Licensing and Recruitment Office.

      Discrimination & Harassment Counsel Program

      The Discrimination and Harassment Counsel (DHC) Program provides information and assistance to anyone who may have experienced or witnessed discrimination or harassment based on human rights grounds by a lawyer, paralegal, or an articling or LPP student. DHC services are confidential and free-of-charge.

      Please note that while the DHC may refer you to the Faculty’s CDO, their representatives are well positioned to provide you with information about the formal complaint options available to you (see below for more on these options).  If, after learning about these options, you elect not to file a formal complaint, the DHC may refer you back to the law school for the purposes of discussing information mechanisms for sharing your concerns.

      Telephone: 1-877-790-2200
      Email: assistance@dhcounsel.on.ca

      Licensing and Recruitment Office

      You may also contact the LSO through their Licensing and Recruitment Office. Please note that if you call this number, you will most likely be directed to information about the regular complaints process (you will have to register for LSO Connects and then login to complete the LSO’s formal complaint form, more on this below). 

      Toll-free: 1-800-668-7380 
      General line: 416-947-3300
      TTY: 416-644-4886

    3. University of Toronto

      The Anti-Racism & Cultural Diversity Office (ARCDO) handles complaints of harassment and discrimination (direct and systemic) based on race, ancestry, place of origin, colour, ethnic origin, citizenship and/or creed. With respect to employment or recruitment related complaints, ARCDO generally encourages students to first reach out to the career office in their faculty, however they can also provide some support. More information on ARCDO’s complaint process can be found here: https://antiracism.utoronto.ca/help/. 

      Students may also wish to connect with the equity officers at the Sexual & Gender Diversity Office (SGDO). The SGDO welcomes students to meet with their staff to discuss their experiences of harassment or discrimination, and find support, even if they do not want to file an official report. More can be found on this page: Support – Sexual & Gender Diversity Office.

  3. Formal, Non-Anonymous Complaints

    You can make a formal complaint through the LSO or by filing an Application to the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario - Tribunals Ontario  (the “HRTO”). If you are interested in filing an Application to the HRTO, it is highly recommended that you contact the Human Rights Legal Support Centre for advice and guidance (see below).

    1. LSO

      The LSO’s by-laws, Rules of Professional Conduct for lawyers and Paralegal Rules of Conduct -  all based on the Law Society Act - set out the professional and ethical obligations of lawyers and paralegals.

      If you have experienced discrimination or harassment, or any other behaviour that violates these Codes of Conduct, you are entitled to submit a formal complaint to the LSO. Upon filing a formal complaint, the LSO may conduct an investigation and may take several actions including a formal discipline hearing. The LSO’s formal Complaint Form can be accessed through LSO Connects here.

    2. Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario

      The Human Rights Legal Support Centre (HRLSC) provides confidential, free legal services to individuals who have experienced discrimination under the Ontario Human Rights Code.

      Specifically, the HRLSC can provide legal assistance in completing an Application to the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario and legal advice about how to address the discrimination that you experienced. Prior to phoning the HRLSC, please review their Frequently Asked Questions.

      Tel: (416) 597-4900
      Toll Free: 1-866-625-5179
      TTY: please dial 711
      For the call centre’s hours of operation, see here.

Other Resources

Feedback

We understand that there may be improvements that need to be made from time to time to the recommendations on this page. To that end, please provide your feedback and any suggestions (or updates to links) regarding this page to cdo.law@utoronto.ca.