A: You must make your complaint to the AHRC within one year of the incident. There is no fee for filing a complaint and all information stays confidential. You do not need a lawyer to make a complaint but you can hire one if you want. If the person you complain against retaliates against you or interferes with the process, they will face consequences such as a fine or criminal charges (depending on how severe their actions are).
When you call the AHRC, staff will give you ideas of how to resolve the issue on your own. If this does not work, you can file a complaint by using the Human Rights Complaint Form. An AHRC intake officer can help you file the form. The AHRC will call you the “complainant” and the person accused of discrimination the “respondent.”
The Director of the AHRC may refuse to move forward with your complaint if it appears not to have merit, if you refused a reasonable and fair offer from the respondent, or if your complaint has already been dealt with, or could be more appropriately dealt with, in another forum. For example, if your complaint is with an employer and you are a member of union, you may be required to deal with the issue through arbitration according to your collective agreement.
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