Province 'hopes to bridge gaps in access to legal advice for employees'
Workers in New Brunswick who have fallen victims to sexual harassment now have access to free legal services from the provincial government.
Through the Workplace Sexual Harassment Lawyer Referral Program, the province is offering clients an initial two-hour consultation with a lawyer who will review their situation and explore options of recourse and potential outcomes.
“If you need answers to questions about the complaint process for workplace sexual harassment, or how to report it, the lawyer referral program is a free service to access help and legal advice,” said Amber Chisholm, associate director at the Public Legal Education and Information Service of New Brunswick (PLEIS-NB).
“This project hopes to bridge gaps in access to legal advice for employees who want to know more about their rights and their options when navigating these often sensitive and difficult situations.”
One in five people across the world have experienced some form of violence and harassment, including sexual harassment, at work at some point in their lives, according to a recent report.
To qualify for the program, a person must be 16 or older and have experienced some form of sexual harassment at work in New Brunswick. People can enrol by filling out a form on the Safer Places NB website or calling the referral line. Qualifying clients will receive a list of participating lawyers and a voucher to use with the lawyer of their choice.
“Navigating any legal process can be a worrying experience to some,” said Marc-Alain Mallet, New Brunswick Human Rights Commission director. “We want people to know there is help if they feel they are subject to sexual harassment in the workplace.”
Safer Places NB
The legal assistance program is part of Safer Places NB, a joint initiative of PLEIS-NB and the New Brunswick Human Rights Commission. The five-year project to help employers and employees address and prevent workplace sexual harassment is funded by the Department of Justice Canada.
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Through Safer Places NB, “we have developed online training, information and resources to help organisations comply with New Brunswick’s legal requirements, and for workers to understand and know their rights,” Chisholm and Mallet said in a joint press release issued last week.
All New Brunswick employers are legally required to have a harassment policy and associated training for their employees.
Recently, the federal government joined numerous other countries in vowing to fight violence and harassment in the workplace. Seamus O’Regan Jr., Canada’s minister of labour, ratified International Labour Organization (ILO) Convention 190, the Violence and Harassment Convention, 2019 (C190) in Geneva on Jan. 30.
Addressing sexual harassment
Elizabeth Owens Bille, senior vice president for workplace culture at EVERFI, shared the following ways to prevent sexual harassment in the workplace:
- Make it crystal clear that sexual harassment prevention is a company priority.
- Make sure that employees and management understand what sexual harassment is.
- Keep sexual harassment prevention training positive.
- Lighten up on the legalese.
- Enlist employees in ensuring a harassment-free workplace.
- Enlist employees as social influencers.
- Take swift and decisive actions as issues arise.