A recent decision by the Alberta Court of King’s Bench (ABKB) has reaffirmed the limits of employer responsibilities when it comes to accommodations for employees with substance abuse challenges.
The decision, NOV Enerflow ULC v Maude, 2024, saw a 2019 Alberta Human Rights Tribunal (HRT) decision reversed. It involved an employee who alleged his employer had discriminated against him due to a substance use disorder and was awarded $25,000 by the Tribunal.
The ABKB judge found that the Tribunal chair erred in her decision, stating the employee had “stymied” attempts to accommodate him by his refusal to provide medical information.
