The Human Rights Act protects people from discrimination connected to specified personal characteristics and statuses. A protected characteristic is one part of the analysis; the conduct must also occur in an area covered by the Act.
Sources checked September 29, 2026.
The protected characteristics
The Commission's current guidance includes age, race, colour, religion, creed, ethnic, national or Aboriginal origin, sex including pregnancy, sexual orientation, physical and mental disability, family and marital status, source of income, political belief or activity, gender identity, gender expression and other statutory protections.
Harassment and retaliation
The Commission also identifies harassment, sexual harassment and retaliation within the protections administered under the Act. Harassment based on another protected characteristic is different from a general personality conflict.
Actual and perceived characteristics
Some statutory definitions and Commission guidance expressly address actual or perceived conditions or statuses. The precise wording of the Act and the facts should be checked rather than assuming that labels used in everyday speech have the same legal meaning.
Multiple characteristics
A person may identify more than one relevant characteristic. The inquiry should still explain how the alleged disadvantage is connected to the characteristic or characteristics relied on.
Official sources
- Nova Scotia Human Rights Commission — protected characteristics and prohibited areas
- Nova Scotia Human Rights Commission — Inquiry Form and intake criteria
- Nova Scotia Legislature — Human Rights Act