HUMAN RIGHTS LEGAL SUPPORT CENTRE
2012/13 EMPLOYMENT EQUITY
SURVEY REPORT
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
The Human Rights Legal Support Servicesretained the services of ASSOCIUM Consultants to conduct an Employment Equity Survey on their current workforce.
The survey was conducted in two stages, in mid-December 2012 and mid-January 2013.
The total staff strength eligible for the survey was 57, to which 51 employees responded. This is approximately 89% of the staff which represents a high response rate. The survey was distributed to staff on leave and the 11% staff that did not respond may have been on leave at the time of the survey.
Although the Federal Employment Equity Act does not apply to the Centre, the survey results document that the Human Rights Legal Support Service Centre staffing exceeds the requirements of the legislation and the external availabilityin Ontario in the 6 recognized occupational groups that exist at the Centre.
A comparative analysis was conducted using data from the 2006 Census, Participation and Activity Limitation Survey (PALS) and data published by the Law Society of Upper Canada. The results werealso analyzed through a review of the recognized employment equity occupational groups in order to examine whether members of equity groups were underrepresented, excluded or concentrated in any of these groups. The employment equity analysis was based on the analytical model the federal government uses to implement the Employment Equity Act.
HUMAN RIGHTS LEGAL SUPPORT CENTRE
2012/13 EMPLOYMENT EQUITY SURVEY REPORT
The Human Rights Legal Support Centre (HRLSC) has continued its efforts inretaining a diverse workforce in which all equity groups are represented above their availability in the external workforce. This was a key finding of a workplace survey conducted by the HRLSC in 2009 and again in 2012/13.
Background
The HRLSC is an arm’s length agency of the Ontario government with a mandate to deliver legal services across Ontario to individuals who have been subjected to discriminatory treatment. It’s administrative and management staff are all based in Toronto, as are most of the professional staff. The HRLSC has lawyers based in Ottawa, Thunder Bay, Sault Ste. Marie, Windsor and Guelph.
The HRLSC retained an external consultant to conduct a workforce survey based on self-identification data. The survey achieved a completion rate of over 89%.
Results were analyzed through a comparison with the availability of designated groups in the external workforcein Ontario and in the Toronto area, as indicated by a range of sources including 2006 Census data for Ontario and the Toronto CMA,Participation and Activity Limitation Survey (PALS), the Law Society of UpperCanada data, specifically for Lawyers and Paralegals. The results werealso analyzed through a review of the recognized employment equity occupational groups in order to examine whether members of equity groups were underrepresented, excluded or concentrated in any of these groups. The employment equity analysis was based on the analytical model the Federal Government uses to implement the Employment Equity Act.
Representation Profile
The HRLSC workforce profile (based on the self-identification survey)showed representation in five designated groups as follows:
Aboriginal Peoples 6.0%
LGBTQ Individuals 12.0 %
Persons with Disabilities 18.0%
Visible Minorities/Racialized Individuals48.0%
Women 82.3%
Distribution - Employment Equity Occupational Groups
There are some changes to the categories and jobs included in each category from the 2009 EE survey. We updated the categories and jobs to make the classifications more accurate. For example, in the 2009 survey, Human Rights Advisors were categorized as administrative and senior clerical. In the 2012/13 survey they are categorized as semi-professionals & technical, which more accurately describes this position, according to HRDC’s Employment Equity Occupational Group Definitions.
Members of the designated groups were found to be represented in all occupational groups. The HRLSC has 6 of the 14 recognized occupational groups. The employee distribution was identified as follows:
Professionals 40%
Administrative & Senior Clerical 12%
Clerical Personnel 4%
Middle & Other Managers 8%
Semi Professionals & Technicians 26%
Senior Manager 10%
Comparing internal workforce to external workforce data
The representation of designated groups in each occupational group was reviewed against their availability in the external labour pool (by occupation) of qualified designated group members from which HRLSC can reasonably expect to recruit. There was no external data available for LGBTQ individuals.
An employment equity workforce analysis identifies the occupations in which the designated groups are underrepresented compared to their external availability. Under-representation occurs when the employer does not hire members of designated groups at their availability percentage rate in the external labour force.
Findings from the HRLSC Survey
A key finding is that, the HRLSC has built a workforce in which all equity groups are represented above external availabilityin the Ontario labour force. The HRLSC is already an employer of choice for the groups of focus – women, racialized individuals, Aboriginal Peoples, persons with disabilities and LGBTQ individuals.
Here is a summary of the data, showing that the diversity of the legal staff was particularly significant:
- Female lawyers- internal representation exceeded external availability by 41.3%;
- Racialized lawyers- internal representation exceeded external availability by 33%;
- Aboriginal lawyers – internal representation exceeded external availability by 12%;
- Lawyers with disabilities- internal representationexceeded external availability by 17%;
The finding in respect of professional employees is of particular significance because:
- Aboriginal Peoples and persons with disabilities are typically underrepresented in the range of public and private sector organizations.
- Under-representation is more significant in professional organizations such as the Centre where post-secondary education is required for most roles.
Detailed Results
Women
Women make up 82.3% of the HRLSC workforce, whereas availability in the external workforce is 59.2%.
The 2012/13 survey found:
- Women are represented in all occupational groups and have an internal representation of 82.3%;
- Female lawyers exceeded external availability by 45%;
- Women are represented in Middle/Other and Senior Management positions.
Aboriginal Peoples
The overall representation of Aboriginal Peoples in the HRLSC workforce exceeds availability in the external labour force. Internal representation was found to be at 6% as compared to external availability at 1.8%.
The 2012/13survey found:
- Aboriginal Peoples are significantly represented in the Professionalsoccupational group;
- In this occupational group, internal representation exceeded external availability;
- Aboriginal lawyers exceeded external availability by 12%;
- There were no Aboriginal employees in Middle/Other and Senior Management positions.
Persons with Disabilities
The overall representation of employees with disabilities in the HRLSC workforce exceeds availability in the external workforce. Internal representation was found to be at 18% as compared to external availability at 3.8%.
The 2012/13 survey found:
- Employees with disabilities arerepresented in the Professional, Semi-Professional & Senior Management occupational groups;
- In each of these occupational groups, internal representation significantly exceeded external representation;
- Lawyers with disabilities exceeded external availability by 17%.
Racialized Individuals /Visible Minorities:
The overall representation of racialized individuals/visible minorities exceeds availability in the external workforce. Internal representation was found to be at 48% as compared to 22.2% external availability in Ontario and40.5% availability in the Toronto labour force.
In one of the six occupational groups, racialized employees were found to be represented above Ontario availability but below Toronto availability. Racialized employees in the Middle Management group were represented at 25%, above Ontario availability (18.3%) but below Toronto availability (31%). As a result, the HRLSCreports that it has made improved diversity at the Middle Management level, an employment equity goal.
The 2012/13 survey found:
- Racialized individuals are represented in all of the 6 occupational groups;
- 41.7%of racialized members of staff were lawyers;
- Racialized lawyers exceeded external availability by 33%;
- Racialized individuals made up 62% of the Semi-Professional Grouping (paralegal staff), 50% in Administration/Senior Clerical and Clerical, 25% Middle Managers and 20% Senior Management occupational groups;
- Racialized individuals are significantly represented in the Professional, Semi-professional, Administrative Senior Clerical and Clerical occupational groups.
LGBTQ Individuals
There is no Census data on LGBTQ individuals to enable a comparative analysis, the internal representation was found to be at 12 %.
The 2012/13 survey found:
- LGBTQ individuals were represented in 3 of the 6 occupational groups;
- LGBTQ individuals had a higher representation in the Professionals grouping.
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March 3rd, 2013Page 1