Alberta Human Rights Act: A 2026 Guide for Employers

The Alberta Human Rights Act is a key piece of legislation enforced by the Alberta Human Rights Commission that safeguards human rights in the province. In the workplace, the Act protects employees from discrimination (based on protected grounds), harassment and bullying.   

Being aware of their rights and responsibilities under the Alberta Human Rights Act is vital for employers to create inclusive, respectful, and legally compliant workplaces.  

This article provides guidance for Alberta employers on how the Act applies to Alberta workplaces and best practices to follow that ensure compliance. 

The Alberta Human Rights Act: An overview

The Alberta Human Rights Act is the province’s primary anti-discrimination legislation. It prohibits unfair treatment of employees or job applicants due to protected personal characteristics, such as age, race, religious beliefs.  

The Act protects employees across the entire employment lifecycle, from hiring to termination, and complements legislation, such as the Employment Standards Code that sets down minimum employment conditions. 

The Alberta Human Rights Commission  

The Alberta Human Rights Commission is an independent agency of the Alberta government, which was created by the Alberta Human Rights Act and is responsible for enforcing it.  

The commission investigates complaints, mediates disputes, and enforces remedies. It can order compensation, policy changes, training, or reinstatement in case violations are found. 

The Alberta Human Rights Act: Scope 

The Act applies to all Alberta employers, regardless of size. Whether you are a sole proprietor, a large corporation, a small business, or a non-profit, you must follow the Alberta Human Rights Act.  

Protected grounds in employment 

The Alberta Human Rights Act protects against discrimination in employment based on the following protected grounds: 

• Mental and physical disability 
• Race and colour 
• Gender, gender identity, or gender expression 
• Physical and mental disability 
• Religious beliefs 
• Age  
• Sexual orientation 
• Marital and family status 
• Source of income (e.g., social assistance) 

Employee rights are protected from hiring to termination 

The Alberta Human Rights Act covers the full employment lifecycle. This means your job ads must avoid exclusionary language related to protected grounds. When you are interviewing candidates, your questions should focus on job-related skills and avoid discriminatory questions related to family or marital status, health, age, sexual orientation, or religious beliefs. Policies, promotions, and disciplinary actions must be equitable and based on performance. 

Duty to accommodate at work and undue hardship 

Employers have a duty to accommodate employee needs linked to protected grounds (e.g., disability, family), unless it causes undue hardship.  

This means altering policies, rules, making physical modifications to the workplace (e.g., ramps, ergonomic tools), or task adjustments, depending on the accommodation request.  

Undue hardship would apply if providing the accommodation would create “significantly onerous” conditions for the employer. Factors include costs, safety risks, operational impact, and company resources. 

Your employees have a right to complain to the Alberta Human Rights Commission if they believe they have been discriminated against based on a protected ground. This would include discriminatory treatment from a coworker.  

Best practices to ensure compliance with the Alberta Human Rights Act 

Alberta employers can create an inclusive work environment free of discrimination by: 

• Developing and implementing clear HR policies and procedures that prohibit harassment and discrimination. 
• Providing regular training to managers on the provisions of the Alberta Human Rights Act. 
• Accommodating employee needs based on protected grounds to the point of undue hardship. 
• Ensuring the recruitment process is fair, inclusive, and non-discriminatory. 
• Investigating employee complaints promptly and taking appropriate action to resolve the issue.    

Are your company policies compliant with the Alberta Human Rights Act? 

Peninsula’s HR experts can help you develop legally compliant policies as well as assist with any other HR, health & safety, or employee relations matter. To learn more about how our HR outsourcing services can benefit your business, call us today at (1) 833-247-3652.