The Code will set out employers’ obligations in respect to staff
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On October 25, 2018, Bill C-65, An Act to amend the Canada Labour Code (harassment and violence), the Parliamentary Employment and Staff Relations Act and the Budget Implementation Act, 2017, No. 1 (the “Act”) received Royal Assent. The Act amends the Canada Labour Code (the “Code”), and the Parliamentary Employment and Staff Relations Act (the “PESRA”). For all non-parliamentary federally-regulated employers, the significant aspects of Bill C-65 are obviously those that affect the Code.
Part II of the Code addresses Occupational Health and Safety. However, unlike Ontario’s Occupational Health and Safety Act (the “OHSA”), or other similar provincial legislation, the Code does not currently address harassment or violence. However, the Bill C-65 amendments do just that, expanding the purpose of Part II to specifically address harassment and violence in the workplace, as follows:
Harassment and violence means any action, conduct or comment, including of a sexual nature, that can reasonably be expected to cause offence, humiliation or other physical or psychological injury or illness to an employee, including any prescribed action, conduct or comment
The amendments to the Code also set out specific obligations of employers with respect to preventing and/or addressing workplace harassment and violence, requiring all employers to:
- prevent and protect against harassment and violence in the workplace;
- provide training to supervisors and managers;
- respond to occurrences of harassment and violence in the workplace, including offering support to affected employees; and
- ensuring that the person designated by the employer to receive complaints has “knowledge, training and experience in issues relating to harassment and violence, and has knowledge of relevant legislation.”
While the above is a non-exhaustive list, it is clear that federally-regulated employers will have significant obligations when the Act comes into force (on a day yet to be proclaimed). While those employers can likely look to their contemporaries in provincial jurisdictions with similar legislation for a general direction, proper consideration of each of the specific obligations will be important to ensure that all obligations are met going forward. In that regard, the team at CCPartners stands ready to assist in developing the appropriate policies and procedures to ensure not only compliance but effective and efficient implementation.
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