What Employers Need to Know about Workplace Bullying and Harassment

This section deals with the duties that employers have under the B.C. Workers Compensation Act. It outlines the steps employers must take in an effort to prevent or reduce workplace bullying and harassment.

Creating a respectful workplace

As an employer you can take steps to create a respectful workplace in a range of ways. For example:

• Build a workplace culture that embraces differences and promotes inclusion.
• Address bullying and harassment from the top down.
• Consult with workers and unions, where applicable.
• Understand how workplace structures and systems contribute to workplace bullying and harassment.

WorkSafeBC’s website on bullying and harassment has a tool kit of resources that provides practical tips and information for employers about how to deal with bullying and harassment in the workplace. You may wish to start with the handbook Towards a Respectful Workplace at http://www2.worksafebc.com/pdfs/Bullying/BK137.pdf.

If you are an employer in small business, see WorkSafeBC’s Small Business Guide on [http://www2.worksafebc.com/pdfs/Bullying/ BullyingHarassmentSmallBusiness.pdf http://www2.worksafebc.com/pdfs/Bullying/BullyingHarassmentSmallBusiness.pdf].

Duty to protect worker’s health and safety

As an employer you have a duty to protect the health and safety of all workers who work for you, and any other workers who are at the workplace where your work is being carried out.

It is an employer’s duty to train workers and supervisors about bullying and harassment, and to prevent or reduce any bullying and harassment.

The steps you must take as an employer include:

1. Understand your duties to prevent and address workplace bullying and harassment;
2. Do not take part in bullying and harassment of workers and supervisors;

3. Develop a written policy statement. This policy statement should state clearly that workplace bullying and harassment is unacceptable and will not be tolerated. You must make sure that workers are aware of the policy statement; 4. Develop and implement policies and procedures for workers to report incidents and complaints of workplace bullying and harassment; 5. Develop and implement procedures for investigating incidents and complaints; and 6. Inform and train workers and supervisors about the following:

This information applies to British Columbia, Canada. Last reviewed for legal accuracy by People's Law School, 2014.

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