YWCA employee says lack of accommodation forced resignation | Daily Hive

Vancouver YWCA employee says lack of accommodation forced resignation

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For Taamisah Mitha, B.C. workplace accessibility came down to just half an hour.

Mitha worked as an employment facilitator and resource advisor with YWCA Metro Vancouver from October 2023 until June 2025, supporting job seekers and community members across the region.

But when her own health challenges forced her to take medical leave, she realized just how difficult it could be to get the same kind of support she had once given others.

“I entered the return-to-work process with hope that it would be a collaborative discussion focused on identifying solutions that would allow me to contribute meaningfully while protecting my well-being,” she told Daily Hive.

Instead, the request she made, to finish her shift 30 minutes earlier, was turned down.

“Leaving at 4:30 p.m. would have meant I could travel during a quieter window, making it more likely I could board safely and secure a seat,” Mitha said. “This small adjustment would have made a substantial difference in my ability to manage my commute, preserve my energy, and maintain my health.”

Her request was denied during a June Zoom meeting, with “operational needs” given as the reason.

According to Mitha, no alternatives were offered.

“There was no opportunity to explore alternatives or negotiate a compromise,” she said.

In mid-August, Mitha shared her experience in a LinkedIn post, writing, “My goal is not to attack, but to shed light on issues that deserve attention.”

The post quickly gained traction, earning hundreds of reactions and comments.

YWCA Metro Vancouver commented on the post saying, “We appreciate you raising this important conversation about accessibility… YWCA Metro Vancouver remains committed to fostering an inclusive workplace and ensuring our practices align with our mission and values.”

Mitha replied that “protecting privacy should never be used as a shield against accountability,” urging the organization to reflect on how it supports disabled employees.

The “accommodation gap”

Mitha’s story reflects a wider issue of B.C. workplace accessibility.

According to a 2022 Statistics Canada survey, more than one-third of Canadians with disabilities who are employed reported needing workplace accommodations. Many said those needs went “unmet.”

The most common request was modified work hours, which is exactly what Mitha asked for.

For Mitha, the denial made her daily routine impossible.

Without the early departure, her commute stretched late into the evening, leaving her little time to rest and recover.

She said she began to feel she had no choice but to resign. “Faced with this lack of flexibility and support, I couldn’t identify any other viable option.”

Her experience reveals broader patterns.

A 2025 report published by Benefits Canada found that one in four workers with disabilities who requested accommodations said their needs weren’t met.

The same report revealed that about 10 per cent of Canadians with disabilities said they had been denied a job outright in the last five years because of their disability.

Mitha said she doesn’t “want to attack her former employer,” but she does want to highlight the systemic gap between written commitments to inclusion and what disabled employees actually experience.

“Accessibility and inclusion are not just about having frameworks in place; they require ongoing dialogue, collaboration, and education,” she said.

That divide is often referred to as the “accommodation gap.”

Research from Queen’s University’s Centre for Law in the Contemporary Workplace has shown that many employees leave roles not because of their abilities, but because workplaces fail to provide the support that would make staying possible.

After stepping away, Mitha began to research her options and learned more about her rights under the B.C. Human Rights Code, which requires employers to accommodate unless doing so would cause “undue hardship.”

She also came across the concept of constructive dismissal, when workplace conditions force an employee to quit.

“For a long time, I internalized the situation as a personal failing, but I now understand it as part of a broader systemic issue that affects many disabled workers,” she said. “I deserved better.”

She has since found a new job with an employer who, she told Daily Hive, “treats accommodations as standard, not exceptional.”

What she wants to see change

Mitha said the path forward for B.C. workplace accessibility starts with listening.

For her, genuine conversations between employees and managers about accommodations should be the foundation, rather than quick decisions delivered without dialogue.

She also stressed the importance of transparency.

Instead of vague explanations like “operational needs,” she said employees deserve clear reasons if a request can’t be met, along with a discussion of alternatives.

For her, it’s also about shifting perspectives.

Disability should not be viewed strictly through a medical lens that sees workers as “too sick” to contribute, she explains. Instead, workplaces need to recognize that barriers are often created by environments, not by individuals.

Finally, she noted the financial strain that can come with pursuing accommodations.

Over the course of a year, Mitha said she spent more than $500 on medical documentation her employer required.

She believes those costs should be covered by organizations, not downloaded onto workers already navigating health challenges.

“Accommodation should not be viewed as an exception; it should be embedded into the culture of how we work,” she told Daily Hive.

YWCA responds

YWCA offered Daily Hive a statement in response to Mitha’s concerns.

In the statement, YWCA said that it’s “committed to supporting and accommodating employees with disabilities, and has policies in place to guide these processes.”

“Requests for accommodation are assessed on a case-by-case basis. We are unable to comment on individual personnel matters for reasons of privacy and confidentiality. We remain committed to supporting an inclusive and accessible workplace.”

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