Harassment In The Workplace
Harassment at work can range from rude comments and belittling treatment, all the way to unwanted sexual advances in the workplace. Workplace bullying is a little more difficult to define, but generally it is viewed as targeted negative treatment at work that is designed to intimidate or terrorize another person, and it can include small, insidious things like spreading malicious rumors to social ostracism and exclusion to threats of job loss or even physical violence.
Every employer in Alberta is required under the Occupational Health and Safety Act to have a policy about harassment and bullying in the workplace, and they are all required to have a process for receiving and investigating complaints. Unfortunately, many employers do not have the necessary policies in place, and even when they do, they often have gaps in them – such as what an employee is supposed to do when the person responsible for receiving harassment or bullying complaints is the harasser or bully in the workplace.
Whether an Alberta employer has a written bullying and harassment policy or not, our lawyers are skilled and experienced at providing employees legal and practical advice about their rights.
