Career Equity Resources

We are using the terms medical condition, injury and disability to describe a diagnosable condition that impacts permanently or temporarily impacts a person’s functioning. The World Health Organization uses the overarching term "disability" to describe most of these conditions. Here are just some examples of medical conditions that are considered a disability in Canada.

 Conditions defined as a disability by the government of Canada

A functional impact describes how a person’s medical condition or disability affects the way they work and learn. For example, a person may have difficulty interacting socially or experience on-going migraines. A person’s medical diagnosis is considered confidential; therefore, employers should accommodate based on how a person’s functioning is impacted, rather than on their diagnosis.

An accommodation is an adaptation to the way a person works and learns that allows them to meet the expectations of a job. For example, a person who has chronic back pain may require a supportive chair or, a person with difficulty with focus and concentration may need a distraction reduced environment. For suggestions on how to determine accommodations for specific functional impacts, check out our accommodation matrix.

Persons with a diagnosable disability, injury or medical condition may be eligible for accommodations either in the workplace or working from home. Most companies have an accessibility policy that outlines what information is needed to qualify. For example, an employee may need to provide an employer with medical documentation that supports their accommodation request(s). For assistance with determining eligibility, check out our Employer Guide for Determining Accommodations.

Medical documentation can be helpful in determining accommodations if it confirms the presence of a disability, describes the person’s functional impacts and provides recommendations for accommodations. It is not necessary for the documentation to include the person’s diagnosis. » Medical template

Employers have a duty to accommodate employees with disabilities, as per BC Human Rights Code and Canadian Charter of Human Rights and Freedoms, to the point of undue hardship. For more information, on the duty to accommodate and undue hardship, check out the BC Human Rights Tribunal website.

If a co-op student discloses that they have a disability at any point during their work term, ask if there is anything you can do to accommodate them. If you require assistance determining accommodations, you may find our Employer Guide for Determining Accommodations and Decision-Making Tree helpful. With the student’s permission, you may also want to connect with the student’s coop coordinator to discuss options for accommodations that will support them in meeting their learning outcomes. Our Accessibility Experiential Learning Coordinator is available to support staff, students and employers in becoming more accessible.

Mental health disabilities are considered episodic which means that there are unexpected periods of time when a person feels unwell. Depending on the severity and length of the episode, a person may need time to recover. While some companies are embracing flexible schedules, others require that employees work their scheduled hours to maintain productivity. If an employee discloses that they have a mental health disability, first ask them if they require accommodations. Every person’s experience with mental health is unique, so the accommodation request may be simple to implement. More complex situations may require some creative planning with the student/employee so that they can still meet the expectations of the job. We encourage you to reach out to the student’s coop coordinator or contact our Accessibility Experiential Learning Coordinator for additional support.