Harassment in the Workplace

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What is harassment?

Under the Policy on Harassment Prevention and Resolution, the definition of harassment is improper conduct by an individual, that is direct at and offensive to another individual in the workplace, including at any event or any location related to work, (Policy on Harassment, 2013).

According to the Canadian Human Rights Commission harassment can occur when:

- Makes unwelcome remarks or jokes about your race, religion, sex, age, disability, or any other of the 11 grounds of discrimination.

- Threatens or intimidates you.

- Makes unwelcome physical contact with you, such as touching, patting, pinching or punching, which can also be considered assault.

- Verbal abuse such as yelling or screaming.

Unwanted behaviour is also a form of harassment and could be little things for instance: spoken or written words, threats or abuse, offensive emails, tweets or comment on social networking sites, or jokes, teasing, and pranks.

What are the types of discrimination that pertain to employment?

Direct, indirect, systemic, competing rights, and harassment, are the ways that someone can discriminate. (Doucette, February 20 2016, slide 31). Discrimination is when someone chooses to treat someone badly based on any of their characteristics. Since everyone has the right to be treated equally, there are 16 grounds of discrimination which are prohibited including:

- Race

- Ancestry

- Colour

- Ethnic Origin

- Citizenship

- Creed (Religion)

- Gender Identity

- Gender Expression

- Sex and Pregnancy

- Place of Origin

- Sexual Orientation

- Age

- Record of Offences

- Marital Status

- Family Status

- Disability

There are many different scenarios in which may cause for discrimination to happen within employment, (Doucette, February 20 2016, slide 61). According to the Human Rights Commission, the right to ‘’ equal treatment with respect to employment ‘’ covers every aspect of the workplace environment and employment relationships including:

- Applying for a job

- Recruitment

- Training

- Transfers

- Promotions

- Terms of Apprenticeship

- Dismissals

- Layoffs

- Terminations

- Rates of Pay

- Codes of Conduct

- Overtime

- Hours of Work

- Holidays

- Benefits

- Shift Work

- Performance Evaluation

Who can be harassed within the workplace, and where can it occur?

The work environment should be a safe and rather content place to work in since you are there for an average of 40 hours every week. Just about anyone can be harassed in the workplace, and also be the one doing the harassment including: employees, employers, co-workers, customers/clients, or anyone else who comes in and out of the work environment.

Harassment can occur not just inside the work place but outside as well. It can occur in any setting situation or occasion that is related to work, on business trips, conferences, activates, training, or any type of sponsored or social event, (Homewood Health, 2015).

What are steps in dealing with harassment within the work environment, and how can harassment be prevented?

If harassment happens within employment there are steps to take to help assure it doesn’t happen again in the company or organization. The following steps should be taken in account to help avoid any further or future harassment. A meeting should be held with all staff members to get a clear understanding of what harassment is and what is means within the workplace. A no bullying and harassment policy should be introduced, and make sure every employee and staff member is familiar with the subject. The work environment should have no types of inappropriate posters, calendars, screensavers, or other material. All employees should be monitored, and if needed changes should be made, for instance, overall morale, mood, personality, avoiding particular individuals, patterns of absent workers, major drops in performance, or isolating from others. Knowledge should be increased on harassment within the work environment, possibly displaying posters, pamphlets, newsletters, or any other information about the issues. Staff or any managers should be trained on all aspects of harassment, the rights and responsibilities, and all employees should have a training session on harassment and discrimination and how to prevent it. Some type of in-house or external consultant could help anyone within the organization examine any harassment issues they may have. Any type of complaint should be taken in a serious matter, and be resolved as soon as possible. If a type of harassment has occurred, it must be made sure check it has been put to a stop after these steps have been completed, (Employment Today, 2013). According to Employment Today, the following questions could be asked to help prevent anyone being harassed or discriminated against within the work environment:

- Do employees feel safe in the workplace?

- Is there an appropriate level of professionalism and respect with the workplace culture?

- Is the workplace’s anti-bullying stance discussed in appraisals, reviews, and recruitment?

- Do employees know who to go to if they want to talk about bullying/harassment issues?

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