  {"id":499,"date":"2025-08-28T01:10:50","date_gmt":"2025-08-28T05:10:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/en-ca\/?p=499"},"modified":"2025-08-28T01:35:50","modified_gmt":"2025-08-28T05:35:50","slug":"confronting-ableism-in-the-workplace-what-it-is-and-how-to-combat-it","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/en-ca\/blog\/confronting-ableism-in-the-workplace-what-it-is-and-how-to-combat-it\/","title":{"rendered":"Confronting ableism in the workplace: What it is and how to combat it"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignfull blog-template-header has-neutral-100-background-color has-background has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\" style=\"padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--16)\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\"><div style=\"--bb--crumb-gap:.4em;\" class=\"blog-template-breadcrumb wp-block-employmentherocom2025-breadcrumb-block\"><nav role=\"navigation\" aria-label=\"Breadcrumbs\" class=\"breadcrumb\"><ol class=\"breadcrumb-items\"><li class=\"breadcrumb-item breadcrumb-item--current breadcrumb-item--home\"><span class=\"breadcrumb-item-name\">Home<\/span><\/li><\/ol><\/nav><script type=\"application\/ld+json\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"item\":{\"name\":\"Home\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/employmenthero.com\\\/en-ca\\\/\"}}]}<\/script><\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group blog-template-tags-row is-content-justification-space-between is-nowrap is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-4 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\" style=\"padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--9)\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group blog-template-tags is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-1 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex 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ableism in the workplace: What it is and how to combat it<\/h1><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"blog-template-sub-title\" style=\"padding-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--9);padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--9);line-height:1.5\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-9 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-query wp-block-hosts-query has-global-padding is-content-justification-left is-layout-constrained wp-container-core-query-is-layout-1 wp-block-query-is-layout-constrained\"><ul data-wp-interactive=\"eh-hosts\" class=\"wp-block-post-template is-layout-flow wp-container-core-post-template-is-layout-1 wp-block-post-template-is-layout-flow\"><li data-host-index=\"0\" data-wp-on--click=\"actions.openDetail\" class=\"wp-block-post post-152 hosts type-hosts status-publish hentry\">\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-nowrap is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-7 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-sm-font-size is-vertical is-content-justification-center is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-6 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\"><h6 class=\"has-text-align-center has-link-color wp-elements-c7558c1c9e2b60b85b89e09ed14c4c61 wp-block-post-title has-text-color has-violet-500-color has-sm-font-size\">Jessica Johnson<\/h6><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group blog-template-meta-row is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-8 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-sm-font-size\" style=\"border-left-color:var(--wp--preset--color--neutral-700);border-left-width:1px;padding-left:var(--wp--preset--spacing--2)\">Published<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-post-date has-sm-font-size\"><time datetime=\"2025-08-28T01:10:50-04:00\">Aug 28, 2025<\/time><\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-sm-font-size\" style=\"border-left-color:var(--wp--preset--color--neutral-700);border-left-width:1px;padding-left:var(--wp--preset--spacing--2)\">Updated<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-post-date__modified-date wp-block-post-date has-sm-font-size\"><time datetime=\"2025-08-28T01:35:50-04:00\">Aug 28, 2025<\/time><\/div>\n\n<p class=\"has-sm-font-size\" style=\"border-left-color:var(--wp--preset--color--neutral-700);border-left-width:1px;padding-left:var(--wp--preset--spacing--2)\"><\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignfull blog-image-container has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-large is-resized blog-template-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" src=\"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/en-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2025\/07\/Confronting-ableism-in-the-workplace_-What-it-is-and-how-to-combat-it-1024x576.webp\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3333\" style=\"aspect-ratio:16\/9;object-fit:cover;width:864px\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:66px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-1 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:30%\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group sticky-side-panel is-vertical is-content-justification-stretch is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-13 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex wp-container-2 is-position-sticky\">\n<p class=\"has-lg-font-size\" style=\"border-bottom-color:var(--wp--preset--color--neutral-200);border-bottom-width:0.1rem;padding-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--4);padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--4)\"><strong>Contents<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"content-single-table-content\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:70%\">\n<div id=\"content-wrapper\" class=\"wp-block-group content-wrapper has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\" style=\"padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--4)\">\n<p>Did you know \u201cdisability\u201d continues to be the&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.ohrc.on.ca\/en\/policy-ableism-and-discrimination-based-disability\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">most frequently cited ground of discrimination<\/a>&nbsp;under the Ontario Human Rights Code (Code) in human rights claims made to the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario (HRTO)? Especially in remote environments, widespread misconceptions and assumptions about disability can cause ableist language and behaviour to proliferate.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But what is ableism? How does it play out in the workplace? And what can you do to ensure you are contributing to a safe workplace culture of acceptance and belonging? In this blog, we\u2019re answering those questions, so you can be a better ally and co-worker to people with disabilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\" style=\"margin-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--6);margin-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--6)\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/en-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2025\/07\/image-3-1024x683.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-501\" srcset=\"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/en-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2025\/07\/image-3-1024x683.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/en-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2025\/07\/image-3-300x200.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/en-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2025\/07\/image-3-768x512.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/en-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2025\/07\/image-3-1536x1024.jpeg 1536w, https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/en-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2025\/07\/image-3-440x293.jpeg 440w, https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/en-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2025\/07\/image-3.jpeg 1600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What is ableism?&nbsp;<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.accessliving.org\/newsroom\/blog\/ableism-101\/?utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_source=idealist\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Ableism<\/a>&nbsp;is the discrimination and social prejudice of anyone living with mental or physical disabilities. Under this premise, the person is reduced to their disability and assumed as inferior to the able-bodied. Ableism can take the form of ideas and assumptions, attitudes and practices, laws and regulations, and physical environment barriers.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What does \u201cdisability\u201d mean?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>According to the Ontario Human Rights Commission,&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.ohrc.on.ca\/en\/policy-ableism-and-discrimination-based-disability\/2-what-disability\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">disability<\/a>&nbsp;is defined as any degree of physical or mental impairment that may limit a person\u2019s ability to function with the world around them. It\u2019s important to note that disability may have been present at birth, caused by an accident, or developed over time.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Visible vs invisible disabilities<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s a huge misconception that disabilities are easy to spot. According to a&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.talentinnovation.org\/_private\/assets\/DisabilitiesInclusion_KeyFindings-CTI.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">2017 study<\/a>&nbsp;by the Center for Talent Innovation, among white-collar, college-educated employees, 30% have a disability \u2013 and of all employees with a disability, 62% have an invisible disability.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But what is an invisible disability? \u201cInvisible disability\u201d or \u201chidden disability\u201d is an umbrella term for disabilities that are not immediately apparent. That means they are not always obvious to the onlooker, but can sometimes or always limit daily activities and present challenges depending on circumstances.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>According to Invisible Disability Project, \u201can&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.invisibledisabilityproject.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">invisible disability<\/a>&nbsp;can include, but is not limited to: cognitive impairment and brain injury; the autism spectrum; chronic illnesses like multiple sclerosis, chronic fatigue, chronic pain, and fibromyalgia; d\/Deaf and\/or hard of hearing; blindness and\/or low vision; anxiety, depression, PTSD, and many more.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Am I being ableist?&nbsp;<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s a good thing that you\u2019re reflecting and asking yourself this question! Ableism perpetuates a negative view of and reaction to disability. And while most understand that ableism is a form of discrimination, they may not be able to spot their own discriminatory and damaging language or actions in the workplace.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To help you identify ableist behavior and what not to do, we\u2019ve put together some examples and how they could play out in workplace scenarios.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Examples of ableist behaviour in the workplace&nbsp;<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Ableist language<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>It can be hard for some to recognize damaging behaviour, especially when ableist language is&nbsp;&nbsp;<em>&nbsp;so&nbsp;<\/em>normalized. Words like \u201cblind\u201d, \u201cdeaf\u201d, \u201cinsane\u201d, and \u201cpsycho\u201d \u2013 which have become a part of every-day language and are prevalent terms used in popular culture \u2013 are just some examples of how you are contributing to oppressive dialogue.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Scenario<\/h5>\n\n\n\n<p>Jenna is a full-time student who spends two evenings a week working part-time at a fast food restaurant. Nearing the end of a long eight-hour weekend shift, she lets off steam by talking to her co-worker around the same age, Gianna, about the \u201cpsycho\u201d customers she endured that afternoon. Jenna recounts events and jokes, saying, \u201cthey must\u2019ve been on drugs or something\u201d. Gianna laughs along but leaves the conversation feeling isolated. As someone who has felt the effects of addiction within her own family, the words Jenna used to describe the customers hurt Gianna. While she understands Jenna\u2019s comment was a joke, she can\u2019t help but think she would be judged if Jenna knew about her situation. \u201c<em>Would she look at me differently?\u201d&nbsp;<\/em>Gianna thinks to herself. \u201c<em>If I had a bad day or acted out, would she think I\u2019m on drugs?\u201d&nbsp;<\/em>Even though it wasn\u2019t intentional, because of Jenna\u2019s comment, she\u2019s eliminated the possibility of a safe space for Gianna to share her experiences.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Believing you know it all<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Maybe you read an article or watched a documentary about persons living with a certain disability shared by your co-worker and now feel more educated on the topic than you were before \u2013 that&#8217;s great! While you may come out of that situation more informed, it doesn\u2019t make you an expert, nor do you know how your co-worker\u2019s disability personally affects them.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Scenario<\/h5>\n\n\n\n<p>After learning about her co-worker Manraj&#8217;s Crohn&#8217;s Disease, Aynsley reads a few general articles about its effects. In their next 1:1 chat, Aynsley is intrigued to learn more. She asks Manraj, \u201cMild cramping isn\u2019t hard to deal with, right? I know it\u2019s a constant thing but it\u2019s not, like, unbearable, right? Can\u2019t you just get surgery?\u201d Manraj is taken aback by the comments and feels Aynsley is being invasive. His Crohn\u2019s Disease has been quite severe, and since he hasn\u2019t found a treatment plan to stabilize his illness, Manraj has been dealing with moderate to severe pain for the last year. Instead of having an open conversation like Aynsley had hoped, Manraj is overwhelmed by Aynsley\u2019s comments, as he feels she is questioning his Crohn\u2019s Disease\u2019s severity and how it personally affects him. He feels as though Aynsley is judging him and doesn\u2019t feel comfortable or safe talking about it anymore.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Making assumptions<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Unfortunately, people often judge others by what they see and conclude a person can or cannot do something based on the way they look.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s impossible to tell what someone else is going through from an outside perspective, unless they feel comfortable enough to tell you themselves. That\u2019s why subtle comments like, \u201cwhy do you always look so tired\u201d or attempting to \u201chelp\u201d unprompted can be upsetting.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Scenario<\/h5>\n\n\n\n<p>Aimee is working at a distribution center for the summer in between college semesters. She typically keeps to herself when completing her tasks but has lunch with a co-worker around her age, Sarah, everyday. They talk about lives, summer plans, and school, and one afternoon, Aimee feels comfortable sharing that she\u2019d recently been diagnosed with Asperger&#8217;s Syndrome. To her surprise, Sarah pauses for a second, visibly confused, and says, \u201cBut you don&#8217;t look autistic. You seem normal.\u201d Aimee is upset by Sarah\u2019s comment and wonders if something is wrong with her because of her diagnosis. She wishes she hadn\u2019t said anything and worries Sarah\u2019s perception of her has changed.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Being invasive&nbsp;<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>No matter how curious you are or eager to \u201chelp\u201d, it isn\u2019t appropriate to ask your co-worker about their disability. Not only can it be distracting in the workplace \u2013 it can be triggering and isolating to the person you are asking.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Scenario<\/h5>\n\n\n\n<p>Adil, a marketer in Downtown Toronto, uses a wheelchair to get around. His new workplace operates as&nbsp;remote-first&nbsp;and today he\u2019s decided to make his first trip to the office. When he\u2019s heading into the elevator, he\u2019s greeted by a co-worker he\u2019s virtually met a few times, David, who insists on pressing the elevator buttons for him. Annoyed but not completely bothered, he asks him how it\u2019s going and the two have a conversation. But when the elevator door opens to their floor, David grabs the handles of Adil\u2019s wheelchair and starts wheeling him out unprompted. When Adil tells David to stop and that he didn\u2019t ask for his help, David rolls his eyes and says he was \u201cjust trying to be nice\u201d. Adil is perfectly capable of moving on his own and finds David\u2019s actions to be completely disrespectful and hurtful. If he needed help, he\u2019d ask. More than anything though, Adil has lost a sense of safety and belonging in his workplace and wonders if his other colleagues view him in the same way.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Prioritizing inclusivity and belonging<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Inclusion is not just a set of&nbsp;organizational policies&nbsp;to make sure all employees feel safe and heard \u2013 it\u2019s also about doing the work to reverse your own misconceptions and biases. We understand that it can be challenging, we\u2019re still learning too! We want to help you prioritize inclusivity and belonging, so here are a handful of ways you can create inclusive spaces:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Mind your language&nbsp;<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Simple as that. We get it, it can be hard to unlearn behaviours, especially when certain words are so embedded in your vocabulary. But assessing phrases and words that usually go unchallenged is pivotal in ensuring everyone feels safe and comfortable at work.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Inclusive language means using language that is free from stereotyped, prejudiced, or discriminatory words, phrases and tones.&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/buffer.com\/resources\/inclusive-language-tech\/\">Buffer<\/a>&nbsp;has an excellent resource specific to startups and tech.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Don\u2019t assume&nbsp;<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Don\u2019t attempt to \u201chelp\u201d unless asked, and don\u2019t assume you know or understand how that person is feeling at any given moment. Regardless of intent, this is inappropriate and invasive.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Don\u2019t compare&nbsp;<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Generally speaking, disabilities are long-term and have serious effects on a person\u2019s physical and psychological health. You may have experienced a temporary injury or illness you feel is worth bonding over. In reality, the two are not comparable, and it\u2019s possible an interaction like this can discourage a person with a disability from confiding in you or other coworkers moving forward.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Remember: One size doesn\u2019t fit all<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>There is an entire spectrum of disabilities. While you may feel or be well-versed in a certain area, or know someone personally who shares the same or similar disability as your co-worker, this doesn\u2019t give you permission to make assumptions about how it affects them. Make a continuous effort to learn, and simply listen when a person confides in you about their experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Prioritize inclusivity<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Understanding the need for accessibility is important, but so is thinking beyond policy and logistics. Ensuring all people feel they belong and are heard is pivotal in eliminating ableism in your workplace.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We want to help you continue building the most comfortable and inclusive space for your people to do great work. That\u2019s why we continue to create resources to help you do it. Dive into more equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) content right here:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>To learn more about why an EDI strategy is good for you and good for business, watch our recent webinar,&nbsp;Workplace equity, diversity, and inclusion. Where do I get started?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Interested in creating your EDI strategy but don&#8217;t know where to begin? Check out&nbsp;workplace equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) are important to my company. Where do I start?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>To learn how you can keep EDI a top priority in your workplace, read&nbsp;four ways to create and maintain an inclusive workplace<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Canada&#8217;s wage gap is persistent. To learn how you can make a difference at your own company, visit&nbsp;how to address and work to dismantle pay inequity in your workplace<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Culture experts are sweeping the market right now. What does that mean and should you prioritize this people superstar for your own HR team? Read&nbsp;why we hired a People &amp; Culture Specialist (and why you should too)&nbsp;to learn<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-content-justification-center is-nowrap is-layout-flex wp-container-core-buttons-is-layout-2 wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\" data-trigger-modal=\"request-a-demo-modal\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\">Learn more<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignfull is-style-default has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\" style=\"padding-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--20);padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--20)\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-content-justification-space-between is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-15 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\" style=\"margin-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--10)\">\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Related Resources<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button is-style-link-arrow is-style-link-arrow--3\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link has-btn-brand-background-color has-background wp-element-button\" href=\"\/resources\/?topic%5B0%5D%5B0%5D=Product\">View all<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-query blog-3-col-query-loop is-layout-flow wp-block-query-is-layout-flow\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Published Updated Contents Did you know \u201cdisability\u201d continues to be the&nbsp;most frequently cited ground of discrimination&nbsp;under the Ontario Human Rights Code (Code) in human rights claims made to the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario (HRTO)? Especially in remote environments, widespread misconceptions and assumptions about disability can cause ableist language and behaviour to proliferate.&nbsp; But what [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":3333,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"_visual_mode":"business","_lite_auth_enabled":false,"_lite_auth_trigger_method":"scroll","_lite_auth_scroll_percent":25,"_lite_auth_click_element_query":"","exclude_from_algolia":false,"reading_time":"8 min read","display_reading_time":false,"download_content_type":"","download_file":"","download_url":"","download_cta_label":"","homepage_thumbnail":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"resource-type":[],"topic":[75],"learn_topic":[],"industry":[],"audience":[],"business-size":[],"product-tag":[],"funnel-stage":[],"region":[],"pain-point":[],"persona":[],"content_type":[],"post_features":[],"class_list":["post-499","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorised","topic-workplace"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/en-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/499","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/en-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/en-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/en-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/en-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=499"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/en-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/499\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3335,"href":"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/en-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/499\/revisions\/3335"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/en-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3333"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/en-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=499"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/en-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=499"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/en-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=499"},{"taxonomy":"resource-type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/en-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/resource-type?post=499"},{"taxonomy":"topic","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/en-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/topic?post=499"},{"taxonomy":"learn_topic","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/en-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/learn_topic?post=499"},{"taxonomy":"industry","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/en-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/industry?post=499"},{"taxonomy":"audience","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/en-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/audience?post=499"},{"taxonomy":"business-size","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/en-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/business-size?post=499"},{"taxonomy":"product-tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/en-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/product-tag?post=499"},{"taxonomy":"funnel-stage","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/en-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/funnel-stage?post=499"},{"taxonomy":"region","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/en-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/region?post=499"},{"taxonomy":"pain-point","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/en-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pain-point?post=499"},{"taxonomy":"persona","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/en-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/persona?post=499"},{"taxonomy":"content_type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/en-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/content_type?post=499"},{"taxonomy":"post_features","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/en-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/post_features?post=499"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}