Unpacking the Duty to Accommodate: Building Inclusive Spaces
April 11
Workplace accommodations aim to enhance accessibility while creating a welcoming and productive workplace for individuals to fulfill their roles safely and efficiently. It also enables employees to bring their authentic selves to work, fostering a sense of belonging.
The Ontario Human Rights Code states that every person has a right to equal treatment with respect to employment without discrimination or harassment, enumerating 16 protected grounds. Employers and business leaders are responsible for reacting to accommodation requests and proactively identifying and dismantling the barriers hindering their team members’ full potential. These requests require a delicate balance — respecting privacy and confidentiality while ensuring that the accommodation process is constructive and supportive. Often, the most significant pain points are not knowing where to start, how to be proactive, and understanding the duty to accommodate. Ultimately, it’s about cultivating a workplace that respects legal compliance while advancing inclusivity for all employees.
Gain timely and valuable insight on navigating the duty to accommodate – register today!
Attention Registered Attendees:
The virtual conference platform is now open.
Please check your email (the one used at the time of registration) for the access instructions.
Sessions begin at 8:45 AM EST on Thursday, April 11.
Difficulty logging in? For technical support, please email: pdwebinars@hrpa.ca.
Registration is FREE for HRPA members.
HRPA's member learning programming goal for 2024 is all about quality and enhanced value for your HRPA membership. This year's micro-conferences (February, April, September) will be FREE virtual events to members, aiming to offer up a total of 12 CPD hours. That's a savings of $120 per event! Not a member yet? Become one today.
About
Workplace accommodations aim to enhance accessibility while creating a welcoming and productive workplace for individuals to fulfill their roles safely and efficiently. It also enables employees to bring their authentic selves to work, fostering a sense of belonging.
The Ontario Human Rights Code states that every person has a right to equal treatment with respect to employment without discrimination or harassment, enumerating 16 protected grounds. Employers and business leaders are responsible for reacting to accommodation requests and proactively identifying and dismantling the barriers hindering their team members’ full potential. These requests require a delicate balance — respecting privacy and confidentiality while ensuring that the accommodation process is constructive and supportive. Often, the most significant pain points are not knowing where to start, how to be proactive, and understanding the duty to accommodate. Ultimately, it’s about cultivating a workplace that respects legal compliance while advancing inclusivity for all employees.
Your host for this micro-conference is Lorin MacDonald, an award-winning Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility (IDEA) practitioner and human rights lawyer supporting people with disabilities, a disability awareness educator, and an accessibility advocate. Lorin also lives with profound hearing loss. Her legal expertise and lived experience ensure that this event will unravel the intricacies of addressing individualized accommodation requests using a Human Rights-Based Approach (HRBA) framework. A commitment to using an empathic and inclusive lens will result in the development of adaptations that resonate and create a sense of belonging.
A session on “Uncomfortable Workplace Conversations” is not to be missed! Our panel of legal and HR practitioners will discuss the Human Rights Commission, Tribunal, and court decisions behind the headlines, what pitfalls to avoid, and tips on navigating those uncomfortable discussions that are pivotal for organizational growth.
Our learning sessions will cover broad workplace operational issues such as
- gender-neutral washrooms,
- medical marijuana use,
- the intrusion of domestic violence in the workplace.
Also discussed will be organizational considerations like adapted performance indicators and reviews. Gain timely and valuable insight on navigating the duty to accommodate – register today!
- Gain a comprehensive understanding of managing and implementing workplace accommodations.
- Learn how to recognize and address systemic barriers to accessibility.
- Become skilled at every stage of handling accommodation requests, from determining the nature of barriers to finding sustainable solutions.
- Learn about the duty to inquire.
- Equip yourself with the tools to create more inclusive and accessible workplaces.
- Invest in your professional development by staying up-to-date on the latest trend developments, legal requirements, and best practices, making yourself a valuable asset to your organization while advancing your career in HR.
- HR Managers and HR Directors who lead the planning and execution of HR strategies, legal compliance with accessibility, and upholding human rights protections.
- HR professionals who need to understand legal rights and responsibilities in their work, such as HR Recruitment Specialists, HR Managers, HR Directors, HR Business Partners, and HR Tech Specialists.
- Organizational Development (OD) professionals and others who lead or execute OD strategies and programs in their organizations.
- HR professionals involved with physical and psychological safety, change management and IDEA implementation.
- on-HR professionals who manage workplaces or employee issues.
- Other ancillary professionals who may require legal awareness and compliance including employment lawyers, law students, EDI professionals, Health and Safety professionals, etc.
Agenda – Unpacking the Duty to Accommodate: Building Inclusive Spaces
Date: Thursday, April 11
Duration: 8:45 AM – 2:00 PM
Virtual participation: Live stream via ON24
CPD Hours: LSO (ON): 4h 15m (1h 45m Substantive; 2h 30m EDI) | HRPA: 4h
8:45 AM – 9:05 AM | Welcome, Land Acknowledgement and Event Kickoff
Speakers: Diane Biesinger (she/her), CHRP, Manager, People and Culture, HRPA; Lorin MacDonald (she/her), OOnt, LSM, JD, Principal, HearVue Inc.
9:05 AM – 10:45 AM | Hot Topics: Embracing Uncomfortable Conversations
Join us for a dynamic panel discussion with experts discussing current “hot topics” in the workplace. Gain critical knowledge that will allow you to navigate uncomfortable conversations and address challenging situations confidently. Hear how embracing discomfort sparks personal and professional growth, increasing self-awareness and driving positive change in workplace interactions. Through interactive discussions and practical strategies, attendees will learn to engage in transparent and authentic communication to build resilience and promote an inclusive and supportive work environment.
The panel will cover a wide range of critical topics, including:
- The use and regulation of medical marijuana
- Inclusivity and belonging for LGBTQ2S+ employees, including gender-neutral washrooms and issues impacting the transgender community
- Inclusive language – principles, approaches, and practical steps
- Enhancing trauma-informed understanding and support mechanisms for victims of domestic violence
And lots more comprehensive insights on pressing contemporary issues.
Moderator: Lorin MacDonald (she/her), OOnt, LSM, JD, Principal, HearVue Inc.
Speakers: Lai King Hum, Lawyer, Founder, Hum Law Firm; Juliet Chang Knapton (she/her/Mx.), Advocate-in-Residence, University of Ottawa Faculty of Law; Richa Sandill (she/her), Team Lead, Lawyer, Don Valley Community Legal Services; Tamara Sylvester (They/Them/One), Lawyer, Human Rights Consultant, Toronto Metropolitan University; Brittany Taylor, Partner, Rudner Law
10:45 AM – 11:15 AM | Energy Break
11:15 AM – 12:45 PM | Overview: Duty to Accommodate
11:15 AM – 11:45 AM | Legal Obligations: Your Duty to Accommodate
This session will unpack the legal obligations of employers regarding the duty to accommodate in the workplace. This duty, rooted in human rights law, mandates that employers must make reasonable efforts to accommodate employees’ individual needs to the point of undue hardship. These accommodations pertain to various aspects, including disability, religion, family status and other grounds protected under human rights legislation.
Speaker: Morgan Sim, Lawyer and Founding Partner, Parker Sim LLP
11:45 AM – 12:15 PM | Proactive Approaches: Duty to Inquire in Workplace Accommodations
This session explores the nuanced world of disability disclosure and the intricacies of workplace accommodations. Participants will come to understand the reasons behind an employee’s decision to disclose a disability and the vital importance of recognizing and addressing the diverse needs of all employees, thereby creating an inclusive and supportive work environment and elevating the overall workplace culture.
Gain insights into the concept of disclosure, along with employers’ responsibility to establish a secure environment where employees feel safe to disclose their disabilities, not just to fulfill accommodation requirements but also to proactively inquirie about potential accommodation needs.
Through a case study, participants will become familiar with practical examples and strategies for efficiently implementing accommodations.
Speaker: Gillian Forth, ACC, MA, Workplace Support Program Manager, Specialisterne
12:15 PM – 12:45 PM | Career and Retention Initiatives: Building an Inclusive Workforce
Join this insightful session on fostering an inclusive workforce through strategic career and retention initiatives. Organizations that prioritize and invest in employee professional development and advancement experience elevated levels of employee satisfaction, well-being and retention. However, many neurodivergent and employees with disabilities frequently encounter barriers to advancement opportunities in the workplace.
Focusing on the fundamentals of career advancement, this session will explore the advantages of prioritizing professional development and will present actionable strategies for embracing inclusive career development and advancement practices.
Speaker: Gillian Forth, ACC, MA Workplace Support Program Manager, Specialisterne
2:45 PM – 1:00 PM | Energy Break
1:00 PM – 1:45 PM | Open Forum: Ask An Expert
This session encourages participants to reflect on the insights gained throughout the day and ask questions for further clarification on topics addressed earlier in the programming.
We also encourage participants to complete the pre-event survey to submit discussion topics and questions for this session.
Moderator: Lorin MacDonald (she/her), OOnt, LSM, JD, Principal, HearVue Inc.
Speakers: All speakers from today’s event will participate in this open forum.
1:45 PM – 2:00 PM | Closing Remarks and Event Wrap Up
Speakers: Diane Biesinger (she/her), CHRP, Manager, People and Culture, HRPA; Lorin MacDonald (she/her), OOnt, LSM, JD, Principal, HearVue Inc.
Do you want to help shape the agenda? Do you have questions that you want answered? Share with us here and get your answers discussed at the event.
Diane Biesinger (she/her), CHRP
Manager, People and Culture, HRPA
Diane has more than 20 years of experience in HR and has enjoyed working in a wide range of industries from startups to Fortune 100 companies. Diane holds the Certified Human Resources Professional (CHRP) designation as awarded by the HRPA. She currently brings her passion for HR to her current role at the HRPA, where her focus runs the range of the workplace experience for all HRPA employees, “keeping the lights on in HR” and delivering on the association’s strategic initiatives.
Diane is proud that HRPA has been certified as a Great Place to Work by GPTW Canada for the last four years and is looking forward to having that continue and improve. Prior to joining HRPA, she spent six years in the telecommunications space working with companies such as Bell and Rogers, as Director of HR. She is passionate about IDEA (inclusivity, diversity, equity, accessibility) and supporting leaders and staff promote organizational objectives. Diane likes to bring her whole self to work and is enthusiastic about relationships as she brings a genuine love of people, especially our differences, to her daily interactions.
Lorin MacDonald, OOnt, LSM, JD
Principal, HearVue Inc.
For decades, as a human rights lawyer and accessibility changemaker Lorin has demonstrated leadership, passion and commitment to accessibility and inclusion in her volunteer and professional activities, as informed by her lived experience as a woman born with profound hearing loss. Recognized as one of Canada’s disability leaders and well-acknowledged by the human rights legal community, she is unwavering in her desire to increase disability and accessibility awareness through professional speaking, training, writing and consulting. Indeed, Lorin is widely recognized for her pioneering and sustained work. Canadian Lawyer magazine named her one of the 2021 Top 25 Most Influential Lawyers in the Human Rights category. In 2022, The Law Society of Ontario bestowed Lorin with the Law Society Medal, its highest honour, for outstanding service to making the legal profession more accessible and inclusive. She was also inducted into the Canadian Disability Hall of Fame and is a member of the Order of Ontario. In 2023, Diversability included her on its D-30 Disability Impact List as one of 30 disability leaders from 12 countries worldwide (and the only one from Canada) who are creating impactful change. Moreover, she received the Governor General’s Award in Commemoration of the Persons Case, celebrating those working to advance gender equality.
Gillian Forth ACC, MA
Workplace Support Program Manager, Specialisterne
Gill provides vital support to both employees and managers facing various workplace challenges, and they collaborate closely with hiring managers and people managers to promote inclusivity and accessibility in workplaces for neurodiverse teams. Gill has been coaching neurodivergent people for over two years, has obtained a certificate in Adult Education, and is an ICF certified, ACC level coach. They are also queer and neurodivergent. Her coaching practice is neuro-affirming and inclusive of all LGBTQQIP2SA+ folks and people of all gender identities. Gill enjoys reading non-fiction and the occasional thriller, campfires in her backyard, and watching TV with her dog, Joey.
Lai King Hum
Lawyer, Founder, Hum Law Firm
Called to the bars of both Quebec and Ontario, Lai keeps busy with her multi-layered practice.
Lai founded a boutique law firm in 2014 after 15 years at national firms in Montreal and Toronto. Her firm is focused on workplace law, professional regulation, workplace investigation and litigation, with a capacity to serve clients in English, French, Mandarin, Cantonese and Filipino. Her clients include businesses of all sizes across various industries, including finance, education, manufacturing, not-for-profit organizations and various professional regulators.
She is also called upon regularly to conduct workplace investigations, including multiple-complainant complex investigations. In her work as a workplace investigator, Lai adopts a trauma-informed approach, creating a safe space for her interviews.
Lai is also a bilingual Deputy Judge of the Small Claims Court (Toronto); one of three Counsel for the Discrimination and Harassment Counsel Program of the Law Society of Ontario; and the immediate past President of the Ontario Deputy Judges Association. She has also been appointed as Independent Complaints Review Officer of the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants and acts as independent legal counsel for several self-regulating professional colleges.
In addition to her professional work, Lai has served on the boards of several not-for-profit organizations. She was recently appointed as the Chair of the Board for the Chinese and Southeast Asian Legal Clinic. She has also held roles as past-Chair of the Roundtable of Legal Diversity Associations, a group of legal associations committed to diversity initiatives, and past-President of the Federation of Asian Canadian Lawyers (FACL). In recognition of her significant accomplishments in law and her service to the legal profession, areas of social justice, and the Asian community, she received the 2020 Distinguished Lawyer Award from FACL.
She has been regularly called on by the Ontario Bar Association, the Canadian Bar Association and the Law Society of Ontario amongst others, as well as by the media to speak on workplace law, professional regulation and matters of equity, diversity and inclusion.
Juliet Chang Knapton (she/her/Mx.)
Advocate-in-Residence, University of Ottawa Faculty of Law
Juliet has served as a legal educator, civil litigator and tribunal member. She is the Advocate-in-Residence at the University of Ottawa Faculty of Law and is the Chair of the Roundtable of Legal Diversity Associations, a coalition of equity-seeking Canadian legal associations. She is also a Mentor and Assessor for the Toronto Metropolitan University’s Law Practice Program.
As a lawyer in private practice, Juliet represented both plaintiffs and defendants in civil litigation matters at various levels of trial and appellate courts and tribunals. She is a trained mediator and workplace investigator. She has also written about, presented on and led training on a wide range of topics regarding inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility (IDEA) Juliet is widely recognized for her leadership roles in the legal profession and in her community.
Richa Sandill (she/her)
Team Lead, Lawyer, Don Valley Community Legal Services
Richa is an employment and human rights lawyer in the legal clinic system. Her practice focuses on advising and representing marginalized and low-income workers on all aspects of employment law, including test case litigation, workplace harassment, discrimination and wrongful dismissal. In her current role, she works with the clinic’s Toronto East End Employment Law Services (TEELS) program, a joint initiative between six East Toronto clinics to provide employment law services to low-income workers in their catchment areas. She is also actively involved in public legal education initiatives for Toronto’s east end communities through her clinic role, including co-founding the “Tareekh Pe Tareekh” South Asian language TikTok campaign aimed at spreading awareness on Ontario employment law rights in Hindi, Punjabi, Urdu, Bengali, Tamil and Kannada.
In addition to her practice, Richa is an active member of the legal profession and a dedicated advocate for equity, diversity and inclusion. She served six terms on the Ontario Bar Association (OBA)’s Women Lawyers Forum executive, including as Chair in 2019-2020. She has also been part of OBA Council, the OBA Equality, Dialogue on Licensing, and the Pro Bono Standing Committees, and from 2021-2022 she was a Member at Large on the Labour & Employment Law section of the OBA. She currently serves as Director and Secretary on the Board of the South Asian Bar Association of Toronto (SABA Toronto), having previously served four terms between 2017 and 2021.
In her capacity as Co-Chair of the Women’s Committee for SABA Toronto in 2020-2021, Richa represented SABA Toronto in 2020 on stakeholder consultations with the Prime Minister’s office and the Law Society of Ontario, as well as co-chairing SABA’s first Women’s Leadership Summit in 2021.
Morgan Sim
Lawyer and Founding Partner, Parker Sim LLP.
Morgan brings compassion and creative pragmatism to her work assisting clients with difficult and sensitive legal issues. Her practice includes civil litigation and administrative law, with an emphasis on workplace matters. She routinely provides advice and representation on matters involving employment contracts, severance packages, wrongful dismissals, professional licensing and discipline, disability benefits and accommodation, complex human rights issues, and workplace sexual harassment and assault. She has developed expertise in advising individuals who have experienced discrimination in their workplaces as well as workers who have had their long-term disability benefits claim denied or terminated.
Prior to founding Parker Sim LLP, Morgan worked at two of Toronto’s leading litigation boutique firms. She has worked on cases before all levels of court in Ontario as well as numerous administrative tribunals and professional regulators. She has also had the privilege of assisting with landmark cases before the Supreme Court of Canada, the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda and the High Court of Kenya.
Tamara Sylvester (They/Them/One)
Lawyer, Human Rights Consultant, Toronto Metropolitan University
Tamara identifies as Afro-Caribbean and West Indian, non-binary and queer. Tamara hails from the twin island Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, where in addition to managing a thriving private civil litigation, one served on various non-profit boards advocating for the rights of the LGBTQ+ community. After migrating to Toronto in 2017, Tamara was called to the Ontario bar in September 2020. Tamara’s focus is on human rights law in higher education and employment and on advancing the human rights of the Black Queer community and other marginalized groups in those social contexts. One currently works as a Human Rights Resolutions Officer at Human Rights Services, a Unit within the Office of the Vice President of Equity and Community Inclusion at Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU). One provides TMU, faculty, staff and students with trauma-informed, impartial and confidential consulting and complaint resolution services for human rights and sexual violence issues. For the past two years, Tamara has also been a member of the Ontario Bar Association’s Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Community, taking on roles such as the Section Newsletter Editor and Public Affairs Co-Liaison. From 2021 to 023, Tamara was a member of the Board of Directors of LGBT Youthline, a non-for-profit organization that affirms and supports the experiences of queer youth across Ontario. In this capacity, one held various roles including Co-Chair and Secretary of the Board. Recently, Tamara became a member of Black Femme Legal, an NGO that promotes access to justice for Black 2SLGBTQ+ workers across Ontario through the provision of legal education, resources, referrals, and other services.
Brittany Taylor
Partner, Rudner Law
Brittany is a Partner at Rudner Law, a boutique employment law firm located in Markham, Ontario. Rudner Law operates exclusively in employment law, working with both employers and employees to manage all manner of workplace issues.
Brittany’s approach to workplace issues is pro-active and preventative. She takes great satisfaction in assisting employees and employers identify and deal with potential issues before they evolve into serious headaches for both parties. She also takes great pride in acting as a vigorous advocate on behalf of her clients, whether at the bargaining table or beyond to the trial stage.
Brittany is an avid writer and frequent contributor to many publications, including the firm’s blog and Canadian HR Reporter. She also greatly enjoys speaking on employment law issues and has been invited to speak at several conferences and panels, including events hosted by the HRPA, the Canadian Marketing Association, the Women’s Law Association of Ontario, Hacking HR, Ultimate Software and more.
In her spare time, Brittany love to draw digital art and comics and spend time with her two dogs, Rocket and Theta.
Diane Biesinger (she/her), CHRP
Manager, People and Culture, HRPA
Diane has more than 20 years of experience in HR and has enjoyed working in a wide range of industries from startups to Fortune 100 companies. Diane holds the Certified Human Resources Professional (CHRP) designation as awarded by the HRPA. She currently brings her passion for HR to her current role at the HRPA, where her focus runs the range of the workplace experience for all HRPA employees, “keeping the lights on in HR” and delivering on the association’s strategic initiatives.
Diane is proud that HRPA has been certified as a Great Place to Work by GPTW Canada for the last four years and is looking forward to having that continue and improve. Prior to joining HRPA, she spent six years in the telecommunications space working with companies such as Bell and Rogers, as Director of HR. She is passionate about IDEA (inclusivity, diversity, equity, accessibility) and supporting leaders and staff promote organizational objectives. Diane likes to bring her whole self to work and is enthusiastic about relationships as she brings a genuine love of people, especially our differences, to her daily interactions.
Lorin MacDonald, OOnt, LSM, JD
Principal, HearVue Inc.
For decades, as a human rights lawyer and accessibility changemaker Lorin has demonstrated leadership, passion and commitment to accessibility and inclusion in her volunteer and professional activities, as informed by her lived experience as a woman born with profound hearing loss. Recognized as one of Canada’s disability leaders and well-acknowledged by the human rights legal community, she is unwavering in her desire to increase disability and accessibility awareness through professional speaking, training, writing and consulting. Indeed, Lorin is widely recognized for her pioneering and sustained work. Canadian Lawyer magazine named her one of the 2021 Top 25 Most Influential Lawyers in the Human Rights category. In 2022, The Law Society of Ontario bestowed Lorin with the Law Society Medal, its highest honour, for outstanding service to making the legal profession more accessible and inclusive. She was also inducted into the Canadian Disability Hall of Fame and is a member of the Order of Ontario. In 2023, Diversability included her on its D-30 Disability Impact List as one of 30 disability leaders from 12 countries worldwide (and the only one from Canada) who are creating impactful change. Moreover, she received the Governor General’s Award in Commemoration of the Persons Case, celebrating those working to advance gender equality.
Gillian Forth ACC, MA
Workplace Support Program Manager, Specialisterne
Gill provides vital support to both employees and managers facing various workplace challenges, and they collaborate closely with hiring managers and people managers to promote inclusivity and accessibility in workplaces for neurodiverse teams. Gill has been coaching neurodivergent people for over two years, has obtained a certificate in Adult Education, and is an ICF certified, ACC level coach. They are also queer and neurodivergent. Her coaching practice is neuro-affirming and inclusive of all LGBTQQIP2SA+ folks and people of all gender identities. Gill enjoys reading non-fiction and the occasional thriller, campfires in her backyard, and watching TV with her dog, Joey.
Lai King Hum
Lawyer, Founder, Hum Law Firm
Called to the bars of both Quebec and Ontario, Lai keeps busy with her multi-layered practice.
Lai founded a boutique law firm in 2014 after 15 years at national firms in Montreal and Toronto. Her firm is focused on workplace law, professional regulation, workplace investigation and litigation, with a capacity to serve clients in English, French, Mandarin, Cantonese and Filipino. Her clients include businesses of all sizes across various industries, including finance, education, manufacturing, not-for-profit organizations and various professional regulators.
She is also called upon regularly to conduct workplace investigations, including multiple-complainant complex investigations. In her work as a workplace investigator, Lai adopts a trauma-informed approach, creating a safe space for her interviews.
Lai is also a bilingual Deputy Judge of the Small Claims Court (Toronto); one of three Counsel for the Discrimination and Harassment Counsel Program of the Law Society of Ontario; and the immediate past President of the Ontario Deputy Judges Association. She has also been appointed as Independent Complaints Review Officer of the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants and acts as independent legal counsel for several self-regulating professional colleges.
In addition to her professional work, Lai has served on the boards of several not-for-profit organizations. She was recently appointed as the Chair of the Board for the Chinese and Southeast Asian Legal Clinic. She has also held roles as past-Chair of the Roundtable of Legal Diversity Associations, a group of legal associations committed to diversity initiatives, and past-President of the Federation of Asian Canadian Lawyers (FACL). In recognition of her significant accomplishments in law and her service to the legal profession, areas of social justice, and the Asian community, she received the 2020 Distinguished Lawyer Award from FACL.
She has been regularly called on by the Ontario Bar Association, the Canadian Bar Association and the Law Society of Ontario amongst others, as well as by the media to speak on workplace law, professional regulation and matters of equity, diversity and inclusion.
Juliet Chang Knapton (she/her/Mx.)
Advocate-in-Residence, University of Ottawa Faculty of Law
Juliet has served as a legal educator, civil litigator and tribunal member. She is the Advocate-in-Residence at the University of Ottawa Faculty of Law and is the Chair of the Roundtable of Legal Diversity Associations, a coalition of equity-seeking Canadian legal associations. She is also a Mentor and Assessor for the Toronto Metropolitan University’s Law Practice Program.
As a lawyer in private practice, Juliet represented both plaintiffs and defendants in civil litigation matters at various levels of trial and appellate courts and tribunals. She is a trained mediator and workplace investigator. She has also written about, presented on and led training on a wide range of topics regarding inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility (IDEA) Juliet is widely recognized for her leadership roles in the legal profession and in her community.
Richa Sandill (she/her)
Team Lead, Lawyer, Don Valley Community Legal Services
Richa is an employment and human rights lawyer in the legal clinic system. Her practice focuses on advising and representing marginalized and low-income workers on all aspects of employment law, including test case litigation, workplace harassment, discrimination and wrongful dismissal. In her current role, she works with the clinic’s Toronto East End Employment Law Services (TEELS) program, a joint initiative between six East Toronto clinics to provide employment law services to low-income workers in their catchment areas. She is also actively involved in public legal education initiatives for Toronto’s east end communities through her clinic role, including co-founding the “Tareekh Pe Tareekh” South Asian language TikTok campaign aimed at spreading awareness on Ontario employment law rights in Hindi, Punjabi, Urdu, Bengali, Tamil and Kannada.
In addition to her practice, Richa is an active member of the legal profession and a dedicated advocate for equity, diversity and inclusion. She served six terms on the Ontario Bar Association (OBA)’s Women Lawyers Forum executive, including as Chair in 2019-2020. She has also been part of OBA Council, the OBA Equality, Dialogue on Licensing, and the Pro Bono Standing Committees, and from 2021-2022 she was a Member at Large on the Labour & Employment Law section of the OBA. She currently serves as Director and Secretary on the Board of the South Asian Bar Association of Toronto (SABA Toronto), having previously served four terms between 2017 and 2021.
In her capacity as Co-Chair of the Women’s Committee for SABA Toronto in 2020-2021, Richa represented SABA Toronto in 2020 on stakeholder consultations with the Prime Minister’s office and the Law Society of Ontario, as well as co-chairing SABA’s first Women’s Leadership Summit in 2021.
Morgan Sim
Lawyer and Founding Partner, Parker Sim LLP.
Morgan brings compassion and creative pragmatism to her work assisting clients with difficult and sensitive legal issues. Her practice includes civil litigation and administrative law, with an emphasis on workplace matters. She routinely provides advice and representation on matters involving employment contracts, severance packages, wrongful dismissals, professional licensing and discipline, disability benefits and accommodation, complex human rights issues, and workplace sexual harassment and assault. She has developed expertise in advising individuals who have experienced discrimination in their workplaces as well as workers who have had their long-term disability benefits claim denied or terminated.
Prior to founding Parker Sim LLP, Morgan worked at two of Toronto’s leading litigation boutique firms. She has worked on cases before all levels of court in Ontario as well as numerous administrative tribunals and professional regulators. She has also had the privilege of assisting with landmark cases before the Supreme Court of Canada, the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda and the High Court of Kenya.
Tamara Sylvester (They/Them/One)
Lawyer, Human Rights Consultant, Toronto Metropolitan University
Tamara identifies as Afro-Caribbean and West Indian, non-binary and queer. Tamara hails from the twin island Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, where in addition to managing a thriving private civil litigation, one served on various non-profit boards advocating for the rights of the LGBTQ+ community. After migrating to Toronto in 2017, Tamara was called to the Ontario bar in September 2020. Tamara’s focus is on human rights law in higher education and employment and on advancing the human rights of the Black Queer community and other marginalized groups in those social contexts. One currently works as a Human Rights Resolutions Officer at Human Rights Services, a Unit within the Office of the Vice President of Equity and Community Inclusion at Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU). One provides TMU, faculty, staff and students with trauma-informed, impartial and confidential consulting and complaint resolution services for human rights and sexual violence issues. For the past two years, Tamara has also been a member of the Ontario Bar Association’s Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Community, taking on roles such as the Section Newsletter Editor and Public Affairs Co-Liaison. From 2021 to 023, Tamara was a member of the Board of Directors of LGBT Youthline, a non-for-profit organization that affirms and supports the experiences of queer youth across Ontario. In this capacity, one held various roles including Co-Chair and Secretary of the Board. Recently, Tamara became a member of Black Femme Legal, an NGO that promotes access to justice for Black 2SLGBTQ+ workers across Ontario through the provision of legal education, resources, referrals, and other services.
Brittany Taylor
Partner, Rudner Law
Brittany is a Partner at Rudner Law, a boutique employment law firm located in Markham, Ontario. Rudner Law operates exclusively in employment law, working with both employers and employees to manage all manner of workplace issues.
Brittany’s approach to workplace issues is pro-active and preventative. She takes great satisfaction in assisting employees and employers identify and deal with potential issues before they evolve into serious headaches for both parties. She also takes great pride in acting as a vigorous advocate on behalf of her clients, whether at the bargaining table or beyond to the trial stage.
Brittany is an avid writer and frequent contributor to many publications, including the firm’s blog and Canadian HR Reporter. She also greatly enjoys speaking on employment law issues and has been invited to speak at several conferences and panels, including events hosted by the HRPA, the Canadian Marketing Association, the Women’s Law Association of Ontario, Hacking HR, Ultimate Software and more.
In her spare time, Brittany love to draw digital art and comics and spend time with her two dogs, Rocket and Theta.
Conference Fees
This event is FREE for HRPA members! Not a member yet? Become one today.
Not sure of your schedule? Register virtually for on demand access!
Whether you attend the virtual sessions live or not, registering will give you access to the conference recordings. On-demand viewings qualify for CPD hours and recordings are made available for one year post-event date.
| Virtual | Members and Students | Non-Members |
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| Save My Spot February 15 – February 29 | Free | |
| Early Bird March 1 – March 21 | Free | |
| Regular March 22 onward | Free | $120 |
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Contact Adam Hart, Business Development Manager, to learn more about partnership or sponsorship opportunities.
Tel: 416.923.2324 ext. 7353
Email: ahart@hrpa.ca
Realize is a leader in research, advocacy and action addressing the range of complex barriers to inclusion people living with episodic disabilities experience, with a strong focus on employment. Realize convenes the Episodic Disabilities Forum — a pan-Canadian forum comprising people with living experience, national disability organizations, federal policy-makers, and researchers – and also leads a network of businesses focused on episodic disabilities in the workplace.
About
Workplace accommodations aim to enhance accessibility while creating a welcoming and productive workplace for individuals to fulfill their roles safely and efficiently. It also enables employees to bring their authentic selves to work, fostering a sense of belonging.
The Ontario Human Rights Code states that every person has a right to equal treatment with respect to employment without discrimination or harassment, enumerating 16 protected grounds. Employers and business leaders are responsible for reacting to accommodation requests and proactively identifying and dismantling the barriers hindering their team members’ full potential. These requests require a delicate balance — respecting privacy and confidentiality while ensuring that the accommodation process is constructive and supportive. Often, the most significant pain points are not knowing where to start, how to be proactive, and understanding the duty to accommodate. Ultimately, it’s about cultivating a workplace that respects legal compliance while advancing inclusivity for all employees.
Your host for this micro-conference is Lorin MacDonald, an award-winning Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility (IDEA) practitioner and human rights lawyer supporting people with disabilities, a disability awareness educator, and an accessibility advocate. Lorin also lives with profound hearing loss. Her legal expertise and lived experience ensure that this event will unravel the intricacies of addressing individualized accommodation requests using a Human Rights-Based Approach (HRBA) framework. A commitment to using an empathic and inclusive lens will result in the development of adaptations that resonate and create a sense of belonging.
A session on “Uncomfortable Workplace Conversations” is not to be missed! Our panel of legal and HR practitioners will discuss the Human Rights Commission, Tribunal, and court decisions behind the headlines, what pitfalls to avoid, and tips on navigating those uncomfortable discussions that are pivotal for organizational growth.
Our learning sessions will cover broad workplace operational issues such as
- gender-neutral washrooms,
- medical marijuana use,
- the intrusion of domestic violence in the workplace.
Also discussed will be organizational considerations like adapted performance indicators and reviews. Gain timely and valuable insight on navigating the duty to accommodate – register today!
- Gain a comprehensive understanding of managing and implementing workplace accommodations.
- Learn how to recognize and address systemic barriers to accessibility.
- Become skilled at every stage of handling accommodation requests, from determining the nature of barriers to finding sustainable solutions.
- Learn about the duty to inquire.
- Equip yourself with the tools to create more inclusive and accessible workplaces.
- Invest in your professional development by staying up-to-date on the latest trend developments, legal requirements, and best practices, making yourself a valuable asset to your organization while advancing your career in HR.
- HR Managers and HR Directors who lead the planning and execution of HR strategies, legal compliance with accessibility, and upholding human rights protections.
- HR professionals who need to understand legal rights and responsibilities in their work, such as HR Recruitment Specialists, HR Managers, HR Directors, HR Business Partners, and HR Tech Specialists.
- Organizational Development (OD) professionals and others who lead or execute OD strategies and programs in their organizations.
- HR professionals involved with physical and psychological safety, change management and IDEA implementation.
- on-HR professionals who manage workplaces or employee issues.
- Other ancillary professionals who may require legal awareness and compliance including employment lawyers, law students, EDI professionals, Health and Safety professionals, etc.
Agenda – Unpacking the Duty to Accommodate: Building Inclusive Spaces
Date: Thursday, April 11
Duration: 8:45 AM – 2:00 PM
Virtual participation: Live stream via ON24
CPD Hours: LSO (ON): 4h 15m (1h 45m Substantive; 2h 30m EDI) | HRPA: 4h
8:45 AM – 9:05 AM | Welcome, Land Acknowledgement and Event Kickoff
Speakers: Diane Biesinger (she/her), CHRP, Manager, People and Culture, HRPA; Lorin MacDonald (she/her), OOnt, LSM, JD, Principal, HearVue Inc.
9:05 AM – 10:45 AM | Hot Topics: Embracing Uncomfortable Conversations
Join us for a dynamic panel discussion with experts discussing current “hot topics” in the workplace. Gain critical knowledge that will allow you to navigate uncomfortable conversations and address challenging situations confidently. Hear how embracing discomfort sparks personal and professional growth, increasing self-awareness and driving positive change in workplace interactions. Through interactive discussions and practical strategies, attendees will learn to engage in transparent and authentic communication to build resilience and promote an inclusive and supportive work environment.
The panel will cover a wide range of critical topics, including:
- The use and regulation of medical marijuana
- Inclusivity and belonging for LGBTQ2S+ employees, including gender-neutral washrooms and issues impacting the transgender community
- Inclusive language – principles, approaches, and practical steps
- Enhancing trauma-informed understanding and support mechanisms for victims of domestic violence
And lots more comprehensive insights on pressing contemporary issues.
Moderator: Lorin MacDonald (she/her), OOnt, LSM, JD, Principal, HearVue Inc.
Speakers: Lai King Hum, Lawyer, Founder, Hum Law Firm; Juliet Chang Knapton (she/her/Mx.), Advocate-in-Residence, University of Ottawa Faculty of Law; Richa Sandill (she/her), Team Lead, Lawyer, Don Valley Community Legal Services; Tamara Sylvester (They/Them/One), Lawyer, Human Rights Consultant, Toronto Metropolitan University; Brittany Taylor, Partner, Rudner Law
10:45 AM – 11:15 AM | Energy Break
11:15 AM – 12:45 PM | Overview: Duty to Accommodate
11:15 AM – 11:45 AM | Legal Obligations: Your Duty to Accommodate
This session will unpack the legal obligations of employers regarding the duty to accommodate in the workplace. This duty, rooted in human rights law, mandates that employers must make reasonable efforts to accommodate employees’ individual needs to the point of undue hardship. These accommodations pertain to various aspects, including disability, religion, family status and other grounds protected under human rights legislation.
Speaker: Morgan Sim, Lawyer and Founding Partner, Parker Sim LLP
11:45 AM – 12:15 PM | Proactive Approaches: Duty to Inquire in Workplace Accommodations
This session explores the nuanced world of disability disclosure and the intricacies of workplace accommodations. Participants will come to understand the reasons behind an employee’s decision to disclose a disability and the vital importance of recognizing and addressing the diverse needs of all employees, thereby creating an inclusive and supportive work environment and elevating the overall workplace culture.
Gain insights into the concept of disclosure, along with employers’ responsibility to establish a secure environment where employees feel safe to disclose their disabilities, not just to fulfill accommodation requirements but also to proactively inquirie about potential accommodation needs.
Through a case study, participants will become familiar with practical examples and strategies for efficiently implementing accommodations.
Speaker: Gillian Forth, ACC, MA, Workplace Support Program Manager, Specialisterne
12:15 PM – 12:45 PM | Career and Retention Initiatives: Building an Inclusive Workforce
Join this insightful session on fostering an inclusive workforce through strategic career and retention initiatives. Organizations that prioritize and invest in employee professional development and advancement experience elevated levels of employee satisfaction, well-being and retention. However, many neurodivergent and employees with disabilities frequently encounter barriers to advancement opportunities in the workplace.
Focusing on the fundamentals of career advancement, this session will explore the advantages of prioritizing professional development and will present actionable strategies for embracing inclusive career development and advancement practices.
Speaker: Gillian Forth, ACC, MA Workplace Support Program Manager, Specialisterne
2:45 PM – 1:00 PM | Energy Break
1:00 PM – 1:45 PM | Open Forum: Ask An Expert
This session encourages participants to reflect on the insights gained throughout the day and ask questions for further clarification on topics addressed earlier in the programming.
We also encourage participants to complete the pre-event survey to submit discussion topics and questions for this session.
Moderator: Lorin MacDonald (she/her), OOnt, LSM, JD, Principal, HearVue Inc.
Speakers: All speakers from today’s event will participate in this open forum.
1:45 PM – 2:00 PM | Closing Remarks and Event Wrap Up
Speakers: Diane Biesinger (she/her), CHRP, Manager, People and Culture, HRPA; Lorin MacDonald (she/her), OOnt, LSM, JD, Principal, HearVue Inc.
Do you want to help shape the agenda? Do you have questions that you want answered? Share with us here and get your answers discussed at the event.
Diane Biesinger (she/her), CHRP
Manager, People and Culture, HRPA
Diane has more than 20 years of experience in HR and has enjoyed working in a wide range of industries from startups to Fortune 100 companies. Diane holds the Certified Human Resources Professional (CHRP) designation as awarded by the HRPA. She currently brings her passion for HR to her current role at the HRPA, where her focus runs the range of the workplace experience for all HRPA employees, “keeping the lights on in HR” and delivering on the association’s strategic initiatives.
Diane is proud that HRPA has been certified as a Great Place to Work by GPTW Canada for the last four years and is looking forward to having that continue and improve. Prior to joining HRPA, she spent six years in the telecommunications space working with companies such as Bell and Rogers, as Director of HR. She is passionate about IDEA (inclusivity, diversity, equity, accessibility) and supporting leaders and staff promote organizational objectives. Diane likes to bring her whole self to work and is enthusiastic about relationships as she brings a genuine love of people, especially our differences, to her daily interactions.
Lorin MacDonald, OOnt, LSM, JD
Principal, HearVue Inc.
For decades, as a human rights lawyer and accessibility changemaker Lorin has demonstrated leadership, passion and commitment to accessibility and inclusion in her volunteer and professional activities, as informed by her lived experience as a woman born with profound hearing loss. Recognized as one of Canada’s disability leaders and well-acknowledged by the human rights legal community, she is unwavering in her desire to increase disability and accessibility awareness through professional speaking, training, writing and consulting. Indeed, Lorin is widely recognized for her pioneering and sustained work. Canadian Lawyer magazine named her one of the 2021 Top 25 Most Influential Lawyers in the Human Rights category. In 2022, The Law Society of Ontario bestowed Lorin with the Law Society Medal, its highest honour, for outstanding service to making the legal profession more accessible and inclusive. She was also inducted into the Canadian Disability Hall of Fame and is a member of the Order of Ontario. In 2023, Diversability included her on its D-30 Disability Impact List as one of 30 disability leaders from 12 countries worldwide (and the only one from Canada) who are creating impactful change. Moreover, she received the Governor General’s Award in Commemoration of the Persons Case, celebrating those working to advance gender equality.
Gillian Forth ACC, MA
Workplace Support Program Manager, Specialisterne
Gill provides vital support to both employees and managers facing various workplace challenges, and they collaborate closely with hiring managers and people managers to promote inclusivity and accessibility in workplaces for neurodiverse teams. Gill has been coaching neurodivergent people for over two years, has obtained a certificate in Adult Education, and is an ICF certified, ACC level coach. They are also queer and neurodivergent. Her coaching practice is neuro-affirming and inclusive of all LGBTQQIP2SA+ folks and people of all gender identities. Gill enjoys reading non-fiction and the occasional thriller, campfires in her backyard, and watching TV with her dog, Joey.
Lai King Hum
Lawyer, Founder, Hum Law Firm
Called to the bars of both Quebec and Ontario, Lai keeps busy with her multi-layered practice.
Lai founded a boutique law firm in 2014 after 15 years at national firms in Montreal and Toronto. Her firm is focused on workplace law, professional regulation, workplace investigation and litigation, with a capacity to serve clients in English, French, Mandarin, Cantonese and Filipino. Her clients include businesses of all sizes across various industries, including finance, education, manufacturing, not-for-profit organizations and various professional regulators.
She is also called upon regularly to conduct workplace investigations, including multiple-complainant complex investigations. In her work as a workplace investigator, Lai adopts a trauma-informed approach, creating a safe space for her interviews.
Lai is also a bilingual Deputy Judge of the Small Claims Court (Toronto); one of three Counsel for the Discrimination and Harassment Counsel Program of the Law Society of Ontario; and the immediate past President of the Ontario Deputy Judges Association. She has also been appointed as Independent Complaints Review Officer of the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants and acts as independent legal counsel for several self-regulating professional colleges.
In addition to her professional work, Lai has served on the boards of several not-for-profit organizations. She was recently appointed as the Chair of the Board for the Chinese and Southeast Asian Legal Clinic. She has also held roles as past-Chair of the Roundtable of Legal Diversity Associations, a group of legal associations committed to diversity initiatives, and past-President of the Federation of Asian Canadian Lawyers (FACL). In recognition of her significant accomplishments in law and her service to the legal profession, areas of social justice, and the Asian community, she received the 2020 Distinguished Lawyer Award from FACL.
She has been regularly called on by the Ontario Bar Association, the Canadian Bar Association and the Law Society of Ontario amongst others, as well as by the media to speak on workplace law, professional regulation and matters of equity, diversity and inclusion.
Juliet Chang Knapton (she/her/Mx.)
Advocate-in-Residence, University of Ottawa Faculty of Law
Juliet has served as a legal educator, civil litigator and tribunal member. She is the Advocate-in-Residence at the University of Ottawa Faculty of Law and is the Chair of the Roundtable of Legal Diversity Associations, a coalition of equity-seeking Canadian legal associations. She is also a Mentor and Assessor for the Toronto Metropolitan University’s Law Practice Program.
As a lawyer in private practice, Juliet represented both plaintiffs and defendants in civil litigation matters at various levels of trial and appellate courts and tribunals. She is a trained mediator and workplace investigator. She has also written about, presented on and led training on a wide range of topics regarding inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility (IDEA) Juliet is widely recognized for her leadership roles in the legal profession and in her community.
Richa Sandill (she/her)
Team Lead, Lawyer, Don Valley Community Legal Services
Richa is an employment and human rights lawyer in the legal clinic system. Her practice focuses on advising and representing marginalized and low-income workers on all aspects of employment law, including test case litigation, workplace harassment, discrimination and wrongful dismissal. In her current role, she works with the clinic’s Toronto East End Employment Law Services (TEELS) program, a joint initiative between six East Toronto clinics to provide employment law services to low-income workers in their catchment areas. She is also actively involved in public legal education initiatives for Toronto’s east end communities through her clinic role, including co-founding the “Tareekh Pe Tareekh” South Asian language TikTok campaign aimed at spreading awareness on Ontario employment law rights in Hindi, Punjabi, Urdu, Bengali, Tamil and Kannada.
In addition to her practice, Richa is an active member of the legal profession and a dedicated advocate for equity, diversity and inclusion. She served six terms on the Ontario Bar Association (OBA)’s Women Lawyers Forum executive, including as Chair in 2019-2020. She has also been part of OBA Council, the OBA Equality, Dialogue on Licensing, and the Pro Bono Standing Committees, and from 2021-2022 she was a Member at Large on the Labour & Employment Law section of the OBA. She currently serves as Director and Secretary on the Board of the South Asian Bar Association of Toronto (SABA Toronto), having previously served four terms between 2017 and 2021.
In her capacity as Co-Chair of the Women’s Committee for SABA Toronto in 2020-2021, Richa represented SABA Toronto in 2020 on stakeholder consultations with the Prime Minister’s office and the Law Society of Ontario, as well as co-chairing SABA’s first Women’s Leadership Summit in 2021.
Morgan Sim
Lawyer and Founding Partner, Parker Sim LLP.
Morgan brings compassion and creative pragmatism to her work assisting clients with difficult and sensitive legal issues. Her practice includes civil litigation and administrative law, with an emphasis on workplace matters. She routinely provides advice and representation on matters involving employment contracts, severance packages, wrongful dismissals, professional licensing and discipline, disability benefits and accommodation, complex human rights issues, and workplace sexual harassment and assault. She has developed expertise in advising individuals who have experienced discrimination in their workplaces as well as workers who have had their long-term disability benefits claim denied or terminated.
Prior to founding Parker Sim LLP, Morgan worked at two of Toronto’s leading litigation boutique firms. She has worked on cases before all levels of court in Ontario as well as numerous administrative tribunals and professional regulators. She has also had the privilege of assisting with landmark cases before the Supreme Court of Canada, the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda and the High Court of Kenya.
Tamara Sylvester (They/Them/One)
Lawyer, Human Rights Consultant, Toronto Metropolitan University
Tamara identifies as Afro-Caribbean and West Indian, non-binary and queer. Tamara hails from the twin island Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, where in addition to managing a thriving private civil litigation, one served on various non-profit boards advocating for the rights of the LGBTQ+ community. After migrating to Toronto in 2017, Tamara was called to the Ontario bar in September 2020. Tamara’s focus is on human rights law in higher education and employment and on advancing the human rights of the Black Queer community and other marginalized groups in those social contexts. One currently works as a Human Rights Resolutions Officer at Human Rights Services, a Unit within the Office of the Vice President of Equity and Community Inclusion at Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU). One provides TMU, faculty, staff and students with trauma-informed, impartial and confidential consulting and complaint resolution services for human rights and sexual violence issues. For the past two years, Tamara has also been a member of the Ontario Bar Association’s Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Community, taking on roles such as the Section Newsletter Editor and Public Affairs Co-Liaison. From 2021 to 023, Tamara was a member of the Board of Directors of LGBT Youthline, a non-for-profit organization that affirms and supports the experiences of queer youth across Ontario. In this capacity, one held various roles including Co-Chair and Secretary of the Board. Recently, Tamara became a member of Black Femme Legal, an NGO that promotes access to justice for Black 2SLGBTQ+ workers across Ontario through the provision of legal education, resources, referrals, and other services.
Brittany Taylor
Partner, Rudner Law
Brittany is a Partner at Rudner Law, a boutique employment law firm located in Markham, Ontario. Rudner Law operates exclusively in employment law, working with both employers and employees to manage all manner of workplace issues.
Brittany’s approach to workplace issues is pro-active and preventative. She takes great satisfaction in assisting employees and employers identify and deal with potential issues before they evolve into serious headaches for both parties. She also takes great pride in acting as a vigorous advocate on behalf of her clients, whether at the bargaining table or beyond to the trial stage.
Brittany is an avid writer and frequent contributor to many publications, including the firm’s blog and Canadian HR Reporter. She also greatly enjoys speaking on employment law issues and has been invited to speak at several conferences and panels, including events hosted by the HRPA, the Canadian Marketing Association, the Women’s Law Association of Ontario, Hacking HR, Ultimate Software and more.
In her spare time, Brittany love to draw digital art and comics and spend time with her two dogs, Rocket and Theta.
Diane Biesinger (she/her), CHRP
Manager, People and Culture, HRPA
Diane has more than 20 years of experience in HR and has enjoyed working in a wide range of industries from startups to Fortune 100 companies. Diane holds the Certified Human Resources Professional (CHRP) designation as awarded by the HRPA. She currently brings her passion for HR to her current role at the HRPA, where her focus runs the range of the workplace experience for all HRPA employees, “keeping the lights on in HR” and delivering on the association’s strategic initiatives.
Diane is proud that HRPA has been certified as a Great Place to Work by GPTW Canada for the last four years and is looking forward to having that continue and improve. Prior to joining HRPA, she spent six years in the telecommunications space working with companies such as Bell and Rogers, as Director of HR. She is passionate about IDEA (inclusivity, diversity, equity, accessibility) and supporting leaders and staff promote organizational objectives. Diane likes to bring her whole self to work and is enthusiastic about relationships as she brings a genuine love of people, especially our differences, to her daily interactions.
Lorin MacDonald, OOnt, LSM, JD
Principal, HearVue Inc.
For decades, as a human rights lawyer and accessibility changemaker Lorin has demonstrated leadership, passion and commitment to accessibility and inclusion in her volunteer and professional activities, as informed by her lived experience as a woman born with profound hearing loss. Recognized as one of Canada’s disability leaders and well-acknowledged by the human rights legal community, she is unwavering in her desire to increase disability and accessibility awareness through professional speaking, training, writing and consulting. Indeed, Lorin is widely recognized for her pioneering and sustained work. Canadian Lawyer magazine named her one of the 2021 Top 25 Most Influential Lawyers in the Human Rights category. In 2022, The Law Society of Ontario bestowed Lorin with the Law Society Medal, its highest honour, for outstanding service to making the legal profession more accessible and inclusive. She was also inducted into the Canadian Disability Hall of Fame and is a member of the Order of Ontario. In 2023, Diversability included her on its D-30 Disability Impact List as one of 30 disability leaders from 12 countries worldwide (and the only one from Canada) who are creating impactful change. Moreover, she received the Governor General’s Award in Commemoration of the Persons Case, celebrating those working to advance gender equality.
Gillian Forth ACC, MA
Workplace Support Program Manager, Specialisterne
Gill provides vital support to both employees and managers facing various workplace challenges, and they collaborate closely with hiring managers and people managers to promote inclusivity and accessibility in workplaces for neurodiverse teams. Gill has been coaching neurodivergent people for over two years, has obtained a certificate in Adult Education, and is an ICF certified, ACC level coach. They are also queer and neurodivergent. Her coaching practice is neuro-affirming and inclusive of all LGBTQQIP2SA+ folks and people of all gender identities. Gill enjoys reading non-fiction and the occasional thriller, campfires in her backyard, and watching TV with her dog, Joey.
Lai King Hum
Lawyer, Founder, Hum Law Firm
Called to the bars of both Quebec and Ontario, Lai keeps busy with her multi-layered practice.
Lai founded a boutique law firm in 2014 after 15 years at national firms in Montreal and Toronto. Her firm is focused on workplace law, professional regulation, workplace investigation and litigation, with a capacity to serve clients in English, French, Mandarin, Cantonese and Filipino. Her clients include businesses of all sizes across various industries, including finance, education, manufacturing, not-for-profit organizations and various professional regulators.
She is also called upon regularly to conduct workplace investigations, including multiple-complainant complex investigations. In her work as a workplace investigator, Lai adopts a trauma-informed approach, creating a safe space for her interviews.
Lai is also a bilingual Deputy Judge of the Small Claims Court (Toronto); one of three Counsel for the Discrimination and Harassment Counsel Program of the Law Society of Ontario; and the immediate past President of the Ontario Deputy Judges Association. She has also been appointed as Independent Complaints Review Officer of the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants and acts as independent legal counsel for several self-regulating professional colleges.
In addition to her professional work, Lai has served on the boards of several not-for-profit organizations. She was recently appointed as the Chair of the Board for the Chinese and Southeast Asian Legal Clinic. She has also held roles as past-Chair of the Roundtable of Legal Diversity Associations, a group of legal associations committed to diversity initiatives, and past-President of the Federation of Asian Canadian Lawyers (FACL). In recognition of her significant accomplishments in law and her service to the legal profession, areas of social justice, and the Asian community, she received the 2020 Distinguished Lawyer Award from FACL.
She has been regularly called on by the Ontario Bar Association, the Canadian Bar Association and the Law Society of Ontario amongst others, as well as by the media to speak on workplace law, professional regulation and matters of equity, diversity and inclusion.
Juliet Chang Knapton (she/her/Mx.)
Advocate-in-Residence, University of Ottawa Faculty of Law
Juliet has served as a legal educator, civil litigator and tribunal member. She is the Advocate-in-Residence at the University of Ottawa Faculty of Law and is the Chair of the Roundtable of Legal Diversity Associations, a coalition of equity-seeking Canadian legal associations. She is also a Mentor and Assessor for the Toronto Metropolitan University’s Law Practice Program.
As a lawyer in private practice, Juliet represented both plaintiffs and defendants in civil litigation matters at various levels of trial and appellate courts and tribunals. She is a trained mediator and workplace investigator. She has also written about, presented on and led training on a wide range of topics regarding inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility (IDEA) Juliet is widely recognized for her leadership roles in the legal profession and in her community.
Richa Sandill (she/her)
Team Lead, Lawyer, Don Valley Community Legal Services
Richa is an employment and human rights lawyer in the legal clinic system. Her practice focuses on advising and representing marginalized and low-income workers on all aspects of employment law, including test case litigation, workplace harassment, discrimination and wrongful dismissal. In her current role, she works with the clinic’s Toronto East End Employment Law Services (TEELS) program, a joint initiative between six East Toronto clinics to provide employment law services to low-income workers in their catchment areas. She is also actively involved in public legal education initiatives for Toronto’s east end communities through her clinic role, including co-founding the “Tareekh Pe Tareekh” South Asian language TikTok campaign aimed at spreading awareness on Ontario employment law rights in Hindi, Punjabi, Urdu, Bengali, Tamil and Kannada.
In addition to her practice, Richa is an active member of the legal profession and a dedicated advocate for equity, diversity and inclusion. She served six terms on the Ontario Bar Association (OBA)’s Women Lawyers Forum executive, including as Chair in 2019-2020. She has also been part of OBA Council, the OBA Equality, Dialogue on Licensing, and the Pro Bono Standing Committees, and from 2021-2022 she was a Member at Large on the Labour & Employment Law section of the OBA. She currently serves as Director and Secretary on the Board of the South Asian Bar Association of Toronto (SABA Toronto), having previously served four terms between 2017 and 2021.
In her capacity as Co-Chair of the Women’s Committee for SABA Toronto in 2020-2021, Richa represented SABA Toronto in 2020 on stakeholder consultations with the Prime Minister’s office and the Law Society of Ontario, as well as co-chairing SABA’s first Women’s Leadership Summit in 2021.
Morgan Sim
Lawyer and Founding Partner, Parker Sim LLP.
Morgan brings compassion and creative pragmatism to her work assisting clients with difficult and sensitive legal issues. Her practice includes civil litigation and administrative law, with an emphasis on workplace matters. She routinely provides advice and representation on matters involving employment contracts, severance packages, wrongful dismissals, professional licensing and discipline, disability benefits and accommodation, complex human rights issues, and workplace sexual harassment and assault. She has developed expertise in advising individuals who have experienced discrimination in their workplaces as well as workers who have had their long-term disability benefits claim denied or terminated.
Prior to founding Parker Sim LLP, Morgan worked at two of Toronto’s leading litigation boutique firms. She has worked on cases before all levels of court in Ontario as well as numerous administrative tribunals and professional regulators. She has also had the privilege of assisting with landmark cases before the Supreme Court of Canada, the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda and the High Court of Kenya.
Tamara Sylvester (They/Them/One)
Lawyer, Human Rights Consultant, Toronto Metropolitan University
Tamara identifies as Afro-Caribbean and West Indian, non-binary and queer. Tamara hails from the twin island Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, where in addition to managing a thriving private civil litigation, one served on various non-profit boards advocating for the rights of the LGBTQ+ community. After migrating to Toronto in 2017, Tamara was called to the Ontario bar in September 2020. Tamara’s focus is on human rights law in higher education and employment and on advancing the human rights of the Black Queer community and other marginalized groups in those social contexts. One currently works as a Human Rights Resolutions Officer at Human Rights Services, a Unit within the Office of the Vice President of Equity and Community Inclusion at Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU). One provides TMU, faculty, staff and students with trauma-informed, impartial and confidential consulting and complaint resolution services for human rights and sexual violence issues. For the past two years, Tamara has also been a member of the Ontario Bar Association’s Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Community, taking on roles such as the Section Newsletter Editor and Public Affairs Co-Liaison. From 2021 to 023, Tamara was a member of the Board of Directors of LGBT Youthline, a non-for-profit organization that affirms and supports the experiences of queer youth across Ontario. In this capacity, one held various roles including Co-Chair and Secretary of the Board. Recently, Tamara became a member of Black Femme Legal, an NGO that promotes access to justice for Black 2SLGBTQ+ workers across Ontario through the provision of legal education, resources, referrals, and other services.
Brittany Taylor
Partner, Rudner Law
Brittany is a Partner at Rudner Law, a boutique employment law firm located in Markham, Ontario. Rudner Law operates exclusively in employment law, working with both employers and employees to manage all manner of workplace issues.
Brittany’s approach to workplace issues is pro-active and preventative. She takes great satisfaction in assisting employees and employers identify and deal with potential issues before they evolve into serious headaches for both parties. She also takes great pride in acting as a vigorous advocate on behalf of her clients, whether at the bargaining table or beyond to the trial stage.
Brittany is an avid writer and frequent contributor to many publications, including the firm’s blog and Canadian HR Reporter. She also greatly enjoys speaking on employment law issues and has been invited to speak at several conferences and panels, including events hosted by the HRPA, the Canadian Marketing Association, the Women’s Law Association of Ontario, Hacking HR, Ultimate Software and more.
In her spare time, Brittany love to draw digital art and comics and spend time with her two dogs, Rocket and Theta.
Conference Fees
This event is FREE for HRPA members! Not a member yet? Become one today.
Not sure of your schedule? Register virtually for on demand access!
Whether you attend the virtual sessions live or not, registering will give you access to the conference recordings. On-demand viewings qualify for CPD hours and recordings are made available for one year post-event date.
| Virtual | Members and Students | Non-Members |
|---|---|---|
| Save My Spot February 15 – February 29 | Free | |
| Early Bird March 1 – March 21 | Free | |
| Regular March 22 onward | Free | $120 |
Please complete our sponsor submission form here.
Contact Adam Hart, Business Development Manager, to learn more about partnership or sponsorship opportunities.
Tel: 416.923.2324 ext. 7353
Email: ahart@hrpa.ca
Realize is a leader in research, advocacy and action addressing the range of complex barriers to inclusion people living with episodic disabilities experience, with a strong focus on employment. Realize convenes the Episodic Disabilities Forum — a pan-Canadian forum comprising people with living experience, national disability organizations, federal policy-makers, and researchers – and also leads a network of businesses focused on episodic disabilities in the workplace.
Supporting Sponsor