On June 15, 2010, all employers were required by the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA) to develop guidelines on Workplace Violence and Harassment. In accordance with this requirement the Board of Directors of OCSCC 815, 90 George Street, approved the following guidelines.
The management of OCSCC 815 is committed to providing a workplace that is safe and respectful. It will not tolerate violence or harassment in the workplace and will take whatever steps are reasonable to protect employees.
• Violence includes actual or attempted physical force that causes or could have caused physical injury or threat of such behaviour.
• Harassment includes any statement or behaviour that is reasonable for a worker to interpret as a threat to their personal dignity.
Managers, supervisors, and employees are expected to uphold this policy and will be accountable for doing so.
This policy does not limit or constrain the reasonable exercise of management functions in the workplace.
The management will promptly address violence and workplace harassment from all sources, including clients, employees, supervisors, residents, service providers, and visitors.
Employees who believe they have been subjected to violence or harassment in the workplace are encouraged to make a written complaint to the Property Manager or President of the Board of Directors, citing as fully as possible the details of the incident. The complaint will be investigated in a timely and fair manner, a finding made, and appropriate action taken to resolve the incident and to prevent recurrence.
Employees may refuse to work if they believe they may be endangered by workplace violence; however, work cannot be refused on the grounds of workplace harassment.
Nothing in this policy prevents an employee from pursuing redress under the law or under the Ontario Human Rights Act if the action is covered by proscribed grounds.