Workplace Bullying and Harassment

School District No. 53 (Okanagan Similkameen)

August 2014

Duties of employers, workers and supervisors: Ensure and protect health and safety Includes workplace bullying and harassment

Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) policies on workplace bullying and harassment, effective November 1, 2013

Workers Compensation Act

Behaviour that humiliates or intimidatesExamples might include: verbal aggression or name-calling vandalizing personal belongings sabotaging work spreading malicious rumours humiliating initiation practices / hazing personal attacks aggressive / threatening gestures cyber-bullying

Can come from co-workers, supervisors, employers, external sources

What is workplace bullying and harassment?

Expressing differences of opinion Offering constructive feedback Making a legitimate complaint about another worker’s

conduct Reasonable management action, including decisions about:

job duties and work to be performed workloads and deadlines layoffs, transfers, promotions, and reorganizations work instruction, supervision, or feedback work evaluation performance management discipline, suspensions, or terminations

What is not bullying and harassment?

Workplace bullying and harassment might result in: health and safety issues distracting someone who is performing dangerous

tasks physical and/or psychological injury lower productivity lower morale higher absenteeism staff turnover — targets of bullying and harassment

and their co-workers

Effects and potential indicators

Create a workplace policy statement – in progress

Prevent or minimize bullying and harassment Develop reporting procedures Develop procedures for dealing with /

investigating incidents or complaints Train workers and supervisors

Employer obligations

Respectful Workplace Policy Statement (Policy No. D-6)

The Board does not tolerate bullying or harassment and encourages all employees, parents, volunteers, contractors or other adults to speak up if they believe they are being treated disrespectfully or subjected to bullying or harassment. The Board expects problems individuals are facing are accurately identified as early as possible and resolved in a timely, respectful and effective manner.

Policy statement

• Health and Safety Policy Statement

• To be posted on your site’s H & S bulletin board

Can be verbal or written Report as soon as possible following the

incident(s) Report to:

union or association rep supervisor or manager

note: if your supervisor or manager is the source of the bullying and harassment, you would report your concern to their manager

the superintendent or manager of human resources

Reporting procedures

Complaint Form

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Provide as much information as possible: names of people witnesses where event(s) occurred what behaviour and/or

words led to the complaint attach supporting

documents, such as emails, handwritten notes, or photographs

physical evidence such as vandalized personal belongings

if verbal, complete form with supervisor

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Employee Documentatio

n of Bullying and Harassment

The investigation will: vary according to level of severity be overseen by the manager of human resources usually be internal, but external investigators

may be used in some cases be undertaken promptly and diligently be fair and impartial be sensitive to the interests of all parties,

confidential focus on facts and evidence incorporate, where appropriate, any need or

request for assistance during the investigation process

Investigation

Interviews with alleged target and alleged bully Interviews with witnesses Evidence such a emails, handwritten notes,

photographs, or physical evidence like vandalized objects

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Investigations may include:

Workers must: report if they observe or experience bullying and

harassment not engage in workplace bullying and harassment apply and comply with workplace policies and

procedures on bullying and harassment

Supervisors must: not engage in bullying and harassment apply and comply with workplace policies and

procedures on bullying and harassment

What must workers and supervisors do?

Listen to the target Don’t gossip Offer support (e.g. employee assistance program,

counsellor) Document details of what you see to share in an

investigation dates details witnesses

Tell the bully to stop

What can co-workers do to stop workplace bullying and harassment?

If you are the target of, or witness to, bullying and harassment: tell the bully what behaviour was inappropriate make it clear the behaviour is unwanted and

unacceptable stay calm don’t retaliate report it

Talking to an alleged bully

School District No. 53 policies and regulations can be found at http://www.sd53.bc.ca/district/policies , Policy D-6 Respectful Workplace

Bullying and Harassment resources on FirstClass Health and Safety area

For more tips, resources and information, visit WorkSafeBC.com/bullying

For more information