Ontario Secondary School Teachers' Federation
26 Upper Canada

Reporting Workplace Harassment

All workers are entitled to be treated with respect and dignity in accordance with the provisions of The Ontario Human Rights Code (OHRC) and Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA). 

The OHRC ensures that every person who is an employee has a right to freedom from harassment in the workplace by the employer or agent of the employer or by another employee because of race, ancestry, place of origin, colour, ethnic origin, citizenship, creed, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, record of offences, marital status, family status or disability.  It also ensures that every person who is an employee has a right to freedom from harassment in the workplace because of sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression by his or her employer or agent of the employer or by another employee.

The OHRC defines Harassment as engaging in a course of vexatious comment or conduct that is known or ought reasonably to be known to be unwelcome. Harassment can include sexual harassment as defined pursuant to the OHRC and the OHSA.

The OHRC and/or OHSA define Workplace harassment as
a. engaging in a course of vexatious comment or conduct against a worker in a workplace that is known or ought reasonably to be known to be unwelcome or
b. workplace sexual harassment which means:

i. engaging in a course of vexatious comment or conduct against a worker in a workplace because of sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression, where the course of comment or conduct is known or ought reasonably to be known as unwelcome, or
ii. making a sexual solicitation or advance where the person making the solicitation or advance is in a position to confer, grant or deny a benefit or advancement to the worker and the person knows or ought reasonably to know that the solicitation or advance is unwelcome.

 

If you feel that you have harassed, or if you have been accused of harassment, please contact the District Office so that we may review the incident(s) and advise you accordingly.