08 Mar Reporting Workplace Harassment A Canadian Employer’s Guide
Workplace Harassment: What an employer should make sure is known and available to their employees.
If you are an employer and need to learn more about instructing your employees about the process of reporting workplace harassment, you are in the right place. Employers are required to provide sufficient information and instructions to their employees so that employees know the Workplace Harassment policies and programs that can keep them safe and help them take action, if needed.
Information that employees should know
In the case that an employee experiences workplace harassment, workers should know:
- how to report a conflict in the event that the employee is harassed in the workplace,
- how to report a conflict in the event that the employer or supervisor is the harasser of an encounter in the workplace,
- how the employer will handle incidents related to harassment and the procedures they must follow,
- the confidentiality of workplace harassment cases unless the information has to be disclosed to an investigator or by law,
- That any material gathered by the investigation kept confidential and the outcome will only be shared with both the victim and the accused.
Programs
Workplace Violence and Harassment programs are necessary and must be provided to all employees. These programs train employees on maintaining a workplace that is free from violence or harassment, and if it does occur, to know how to deal with it. These programs should be in a written format and must be evolved and maintained as indicated by the Joint Health and Safety Committee (JSHC) or the health and safety representative.
The workplace Harassment program must include:
- Certain measures and procedures permitting workers to report the harasser to the employer or supervisor and provide someone else to report to if the employer or supervisor is the harasser,
- How the harassment will be reported, investigated, and handled,
- How the information about the harassment will be confidential unless investigators and other legal agents get involved in the case, or if disclosing the information is required by the law,
- What corrective actions must be taken,
- Who will receive information about the results of the investigation and the corrective actions that were taken.
If you have more questions about what employees should be made aware of as it pertains to workplace harassment, or need help creating these policies in your workplace, please contact KCY at LAW by filling in an online consultation request or contact us by phone at 905-639-0999 to book your consultation today. Kathy Chittley-Young is a certified workplace investigator and can conduct a workplace investigation in your workplace if needed.
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