ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Employment equity (Canada)

Okay, imagine you're playing a game with your friends, and you're all trying to get the same amount of candy. However, some of your friends might have a harder time getting the candy because they're shorter or slower than the others.

In Canada, something like this can happen in the workplace too. Some groups of people might have a harder time finding good jobs or getting paid enough because of things like their race or gender. So, the government came up with a plan called employment equity.

Employment equity is like a rulebook that companies have to follow to make sure everyone has a fair chance to get a job and be paid properly. It means that companies have to try really hard to hire and promote people from groups that might have a harder time in the workplace. The goal is to make sure everyone has equal opportunities to succeed, just like you and your friends trying to get the same amount of candy.

For example, if a company noticed that they have mostly men working in higher positions, they might try to hire more women to even things out. Or they might look at how much they're paying people and try to make sure everyone is paid fairly for their work, regardless of their race or gender.

Overall, employment equity is like a set of rules to make sure that everyone has a fair and equal chance to succeed in their jobs, just like you and your friends being fair when you're sharing candy.