1. Advisory Issues
  2. Creed

Creed

Queen's University students, staff and faculty represent many faith groups including Christians, Muslims, Jews, Bahá'ís, Seventh Day Adventists, Sikhs, Buddhists, Shintos, Hindus, Wiccans and followers of Indigenous Spirituality. There are also many agnostics and atheists who work, study and live at Queen's. All of these individuals have the right to study, work and live without harassment or discrimination on the basis of creed (or lack thereof).

A wide diversity of faith groups is represented among Queen's University students, staff and faculty. Many community members are also agnostics and atheists. Everyone has right to study, work and live at Queen's without harassment or discrimination on the basis of creed or because they do not subscribe to certain religious beliefs.

The Ontario Human Rights Commission, the body that provides guidance on the interpretation of the Ontario Human Rights Code, defines "creed" as "a professed system and confession of faith, including both beliefs and observances or worship"

Creed includes faith systems that are deistic (Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Hinduism, etc..) and non-deistic (Indigenous spirituality, Buddhism, etc.). It may include religious tenets of organized faith groups and subjective religious beliefs and observances held sincerely by individuals.

The definition of creed does not include belief systems that are secular, political, ethical or moral.

Religious accommodation is a positive action taken by the university to allow individuals to practice their faith when observances/religious requirements conflict with work, study, residence life, etc.

  • Dress codes
  • Restrictions regarding certain activities
  • Times/Places of worships
  • Restrictions regarding times of work

  • Dress codes
  • Break policies
  • Rigid Scheduling
  • Holiday policy
  • Rigid participation rules

At Queen's, every faculty member, staff member and student has the right to observe their religious practices and ceremonies without fear of discrimination or harassment. When there is a conflict between a religious requirement and a work/academic requirement, the University is required to provide accommodation to the point of undue hardship. More information about Accommodation.

Discrimination on the basis of religion is being treated unfairly because of religious beliefs; religious harassment is being subjected to a course of vexatious conduct or comment based on religion that is known, or ought to be known to be unwelcome.

  • Not hiring a qualified Muslim candidate in order to avoid having to accommodate his faith-based requirement to pray several times a day, which would disrupt your unit's complex and tightly-knit schedule
  • Refusing to alter a rigid shift schedule in order to allow employees who are Jewish or Seventh Day Adventists to celebrate their Sabbath
  • Requiring an employee to remove symbols and clothing that they are required to wear by faith in order to conform to the workplace uniform
  • Refusing to move an exam scheduled on a faith day for which abstention from work/study is required

Consult the Ontario Human Rights Commission's Policy on preventing discrimination based on creed on the OHRC's website.

If you would like to ask questions or discuss a concern about any issue relating to creed, please contact the Queen's Human Rights Office at:

Phone: (613) 533-6886
Email: hrights@queensu.ca