Take a Trauma- and Violence-Informed Approach to the Accommodation Process

Today is Day 13 of the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence. This is part of my 16 tips in 16 days for getting your workplace domestic violence program off the ground.

If you missed any part of this series, you can go back to Day 1 here.

Yesterday, I explained why IPV-related needs should be treated as a human rights issue. Today, I explain why a trauma- and violence-informed approach is critical to accommodating those human rights needs.

The current standard: the human rights accommodation process is a two-way street

When an employee seeks human rights accommodations at work, many employers immediately think of the legal “two-way street”: employees must cooperate, and employers must provide reasonable accommodations to the point of undue hardship.

But traditional interpretations of this rule can fail to account for the unique barriers IPV survivors face, and if these barriers aren’t recognized, the accommodation process can break down entirely.

For example, a 2017 arbitration case illustrated this challenge. The survivor-employee faced multiple barriers to accessing domestic violence counselling in the next city over, including transportation, financial opportunity costs, and pet caregiving responsibilities. But she never volunteered this information to the employer; instead, she stopped attending the counselling sessions. The employer interpreted the employee’s inability to fully engage with the process as non-cooperation. The arbitrator ultimately sided with the employer — a situation that left the survivor without support and, ultimately, without a job.

A trauma- and violence-informed approach is essential to accommodating IPV survivors

This is why a trauma- and violence-informed (TVI) approach is essential. A TVI approach doesn’t just check boxes; it reshapes the way employers interact with survivors to build trust and enable meaningful accommodations.

Here’s how:

1. Understand IPV and external barriers

IPV often intersects with societal beliefs, structural inequities, and systemic biases. Survivors may face disbelief, victim-blaming, or a lack of accessible resources. Voluntary disclosure of all needs is rare because of fear, stigma, or shame.

Practical tip: Instead of waiting for the employee to share every accommodation need, proactively inquire about potential barriers and consider contextual factors such as caregiving responsibilities, transportation limitations, and local community resources.

2. Create cultural safety

Cultural safety means creating an environment where survivors feel heard, understood, and free from judgment. Many survivors hesitate to provide full information even after initial disclosure due to fear of negative consequences. Without cultural safety, employees may underreport risks, which can compromise both their safety and the effectiveness of workplace interventions.

Practical tip: Train HR, managers, and relevant staff to communicate confidentiality, empathy, and respect throughout the accommodation process. Make it clear that seeking support will not result in punitive action or stigma.

3. Promote real choice

Accommodation plans must be feasible and responsive to the employee’s lived realities. In the 2017 arbitration case, the employer’s solution — paying for counselling that would have taken hours out of the employee's day — ignored barriers like transportation and pet care. The employee was unable to use the accommodation effectively, highlighting the importance of considering practical realities.

Practical tip: Walk through proposed accommodations with employees. Ask open-ended questions about potential challenges and co-create solutions that align with their actual circumstances. Real choice requires that options are viable, accessible, and respectful of the survivor’s autonomy.

4. Build on survivors’ strengths

Survivors often demonstrate resilience, problem-solving skills, and self/partner-management in navigating abusive relationships. Accommodations should build on these strengths rather than disrupt them. Focusing on the survivor’s capacities, rather than framing them as helpless or in need of charity, empowers them to engage effectively with the process.

Practical tip: Identify routines, strategies, or coping mechanisms the employee has already developed, and design accommodations that support or enhance these strategies rather than replace them.

Why this matters for employers

Taking a TVI approach isn’t just the “right” thing to do ethically — it also has concrete organizational benefits:

• Improved trust and communication: Employees are more likely to share relevant information when they feel safe and supported.

• Better risk management: Early identification of needs reduces safety incidents, absenteeism, and turnover.

• Legal compliance: Proactively considering human rights, disability, and workplace safety obligations reduces the risk of complaints or litigation.

• Operational efficiency: Thoughtful accommodations are more likely to succeed, reducing repeated interventions and administrative burden.

Next Steps

If your organization wants to build a trauma- and violence-informed workplace IPV program, I provide a full suite of services including:

• Leading interdisciplinary teams

• Drafting policies and procedures

• Risk assessments and safety planning

• Staff and manager training

• Ongoing advisory support

I support employers across Canada (except Quebec and the territories). Please reach out to get started. I'd love to speak with you.