Human rights complaint dismissed; religious school's lifestyle requirement for teachers was a bona fide occupational qualification.
The complainant, a teacher at a private Christian school, was dismissed after the school learned she was living in a common-law relationship.
She filed a human rights complaint alleging discrimination based on marital status.
The Board of Inquiry found that while her dismissal constituted prima facie discrimination based on marital status, the school was protected by the bona fide occupational qualification exception for religious organizations under s. 23(a) of the Human Rights Code.
The school established that its requirement for teachers to adhere to Christian moral precepts, including not living in a common-law relationship, was a reasonable and bona fide qualification given the nature of the employment.
The complaint was dismissed.
Garrod v. Rhema Christian School, 1991 CanLII 13172
