What is Employment Equity?

Employment equity focuses on eliminating barriers to the employment of four designated groups: women, aboriginal peoples, persons with disabilities and visible minorities. Employment equity is a process adopted by the university as an employer to identify and eliminate discrimination in employment procedures and policies, remedy the effects of past discrimination and ensure appropriate representation of the designated groups throughout an employer's workforce. Employment equity is compatible with the concept of diversity. Both approaches aim at achieving and valuing a workforce that reflects the diverse composition of Canadian society.

The University of Calgary’s formal commitment to employment equity dates back to 1989 when the university first became a signatory to the Federal Contractors program (FCP). UCalgary is committed to employment equity because our scholars and researchers bid on and receive research contracts with the Federal Government. The university aspires to increase research contracts as part of the research vision to increase both the quantity and quality of the research conducted by our scholars. Currently, the University has research contracts valued at over $12 million, the largest of which is a contract for research by the Faculty of Science for the Canada Space Agency.

The University of Calgary was advised in May 2009 that it would be the subject of a compliance review for employment equity under the Federal Contractors Program, Human Resources and Skills Development Canada (HRSDC). The purpose of the Compliance Review was to verify that the University of Calgary has put in place an appropriate employment equity program. Failure to meet the requirements of the Federal Contractors Program would result in the University of Calgary being unable to bid on or receive future research contracts with the Government of Canada.

Compliance Review Process

In order to be found in compliance, the university was required to:

• Conduct an employment equity survey of all staff;
• Prepare a workforce analysis which compared the representation of the four employment equity designated groups in the University of Calgary workforce with their representation in the appropriate external labour force;
• Conduct an employment systems review; and
• Create an Employment Equity Plan which includes both numerical and non-numerical goals.

In December 2010, the University of Calgary was advised that it was found in compliance with the Federal Contractors Program, Human Resources Skills Development Canada (HRSDC).