PLEA gratefully acknowledges our primary core funder the Law Foundation of Saskatchewan for their continuing and generous support of our organization.
If someone has been harassed at work, they can make a complaint.
Remember employers are required to investigate incidents of workplace harassment.
Understanding the process for handling a complaint can help people decide what to do and know what to expect if they make a complaint or someone makes a complaint about them. Workers can always go to their supervisor, or someone designated in the Harassment Prevention Policy, for information and advice before deciding to report an incident.
If making a workplace complaint is not appropriate in your situation you can request the assistance from Occupational Health and Safety.
One concern people may have when deciding whether to make a complaint is confidentiality.
An employer must not disclose the names of the complainant or the alleged harasser except when necessary to investigate or take corrective action or where required by law. Anyone who is informed about the complaint should be told to keep any information they receive, including the fact that there was a complaint, confidential.
Although others in the workplace may know about a complaint because, for example they are interviewed as a witness, this does not change the employer’s obligation to respect the privacy of both the person who complained and the alleged harasser. Others in the workplace will typically not be informed of the outcome. If any corrective action is taken this, like any other personnel issue with a worker, is a private matter between the worker and the employer.
PLEA offers free online training on preventing and addressing workplace harassment.