Effective Date: June 1, 2011
Revised: June 1, 2016
Responsibility: Director of Education
The Near North District School Board is committed to providing a working and learning environment in which all persons are treated with respect and dignity accordance with the provisions of the Ontario Human Rights Code. Every .person has the tight to work and 10 be educated in a sail! and supportive atmosphere which promotes equal opportunities and is free from harassment. The Board expects all employees to carry out their responsibilities in a professional manner, working in compliance with the requirements of all Board policies and procedures, collective agreements, the Education Act and all other relevant legislation.
Under the Occupational Health and Safety Act, workplace harassment and workplace sexual harassment is defined as:
- 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 to be unwelcome; or
- 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.
This policy is not intended to limit or constrain the reasonable exercise of management functions in the workplace. Reasonable action or conduct by an employer, manager or supervisor that is part of his or her normal work function would not normally be considered workplace harassment
This policy recognizes that workplace harassment may occur between co-workers, workers and members of the school community and workers and strangers. This policy applies to all workplace activities that occur both at and away from the workplace. Every individual with the Near North District School Board has responsibilities to ensure a healthy, safe and respectful work environment. Everyone is expected to uphold this policy and to work together to prevent workplace harassment.
The workplace harassment prevention administrative guideline implements this policy statement. It includes written measures and procedures to eliminate and/or reduce the risk of workplace harassment. The Near North District School Board will ensure this policy and the supporting programs are implemented and maintained and that workers and supervisors have the appropriate information and instruction to protect them from harassment In the workplace.
Principals/Supervisors are responsible for ensuring that measures and procedures are followed by workers and that workers have the appropriate information they need to protect themselves.
Workers are encouraged to report any incidents of workplace harassment immediately in accordance with the administrarive guideline. All workers will adhere to this policy statement and the supporting programs. Nothing in this policy prevents or discourages a worker from filing an application with the Human Rights Tribunal Of Ontario on a matter related to Ontario's Human Rights Code within one year of the last alleged incident. A worker also retains the right to exercise any other legal avenues that may be available.
The Near North District School Board will investigate and deal with all incidents and complaints of workplace harassment in a fair and timely manner, respecting the privacy of all concerned as much as possible.
ln accordance with the OHSA, this document shall be reviewed at least annuallyt signed and dated by the Director of Education and posted accordingly.
(The JOHSC will review this document annually at their last JOHSC meeting.)
