Nova Scotia's Human Rights Act protects physical and mental disability, including actual or perceived disabilities described in the Act and Commission guidance. Disability issues frequently intersect with the duty to accommodate.
Sources checked September 29, 2026.
Physical and mental disability
The Commission's intake guide describes physical disability, mental disability, learning disabilities, mental disorders and dependency on drugs or alcohol within the statutory definition, subject to the actual wording and facts.
Actual or perceived disability
Protection can extend to actual or perceived disability. A person does not necessarily need to fit a stereotype of disability for human-rights obligations to arise.
Accommodation and medical information
Employers and service providers may need information sufficient to understand functional restrictions and accommodation needs. The Commission's guidance does not treat this as unlimited access to a person's medical history.
Undue hardship
Accommodation is required to the point of undue hardship. The organization should consider reasonable options and be able to support any claimed limit with evidence relevant to its circumstances.
Official sources
- Nova Scotia Human Rights Commission — Inquiry Form and intake criteria
- Nova Scotia Human Rights Commission — duty to accommodate
- Nova Scotia Human Rights Commission — information for employers
- Nova Scotia Legislature — Human Rights Act