The President of the University is responsible for ensuring that all employment policies and practices are consistent with Employment Equity principles and that all members of the university community are aware of the University's Employment Equity Policy. All individuals in positions of responsibility and having the authority to make or influence employment decisions are responsible for ensuring that this policy is consistently applied throughout their area of jurisdiction. The Employment Equity Officer makes recommendations directly to the President. The Employment Equity Officer assist senior administrators, Department Chairs, managers, supervisors and all other persons involved in making decisions about employees with the development of the Employment Equity Program, its implementation, and the evaluation of progress in meeting its goals. Employees reporting an alleged violation of rights protected by the Ontario Human Rights Code or Employment Equity legislation will be protected from reprisal or retaliation.
Special Measures are specific initiatives to remove the effects of past discrimination.
Some can be long term and of benefit to everyone, such as developing objective, job-related criteria for selection, or more flexible working arrangements. Others might be considered remedial and are short-term, designed specifically to allow disadvantaged groups to catch up. Examples might be outreach recruitment to designated groups or special training programs. Under McMaster University's Employment Equity Policy, it is the responsibility of each person in a position to make or influence employment decisions at the University to work to achieve a representative workforce, to ensure that on-going measures are instituted and monitored to eliminate any discriminatory policies or practices within their jurisdiction, and to remedy the effects of past discrimination. Employment Equity complements the search for excellence, both by widening the recruitment field and attempting to ensure equitable working conditions.