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Occupational Health & Safety

Harassment Prevention Policies

Employers are required to have and follow a written Harassment Prevention Policy.

In federally regulated workplaces employers must also have and follow a Harassment and Violence Prevention Policy.

Have You Seen Your Harassment Prevention Policy?

In addition to having a Harassment Policy in place, employers are required to post a copy of the policy somewhere that it can be easily referenced by workers. It can be posted online as long as all workers have access to it.

Elements of a Harassment Prevention Policy

While Harassment Prevention Polices can vary from workplace to workplace, all policies must meet the requirements set out in The Saskatchewan Employment Act and the Occupational Health and Safety Regulations.

In federally regulated workplaces Harassment and Violence Prevention Policies must also meet certain requirements.

Definition of Harassment

There must be a definition of harassment that includes the definition used in The Saskatchewan Employment Act.

Right to a Harassment-Free Workplace

The policy must state that workers have a right to harassment-free workplaces.

The employer must commit to…

  • making all reasonable efforts to prevent harassment
  • taking corrective action when there has been harassment

In federally regulated workplaces Harassment and Violence Prevention Policies must include...

  • the employer’s mission statement about preventing and protecting against harassment and violence in the workplace
  • a description of the role employers, employees, and others play in relation to harassment and violence in the workplace
  • a description of the risk factors that contribute to harassment and violence in their workplace
  • a summary of the training that will be provided regarding workplace harassment and violence

Complaint Process

Information about the complaint process must be included such as:

  • How to make a complaint.
  • A statement that the employer will not disclose the names of the person complaining about harassment or the alleged harasser unless it is needed to investigate, take corrective action or is required by law.
  • Information about how results of an investigation will be communicated.

In federally regulated workplaces Harassment and Violence Prevention Policies must also include information about making complaints such as…

  • the name of the person designated to receive complaints about harassment or violence
  • a summary of the resolution process when there has been a complaint about harassment or violence
  • a description of how the employer will protect the privacy of persons involved in an incident of harassment or violence or in the process for resolving a complaint about harassment or violence

Other Rights of Workers

Information about other rights workers have must be included such as:

  • A worker’s right to request assistance from an Occupational Health Officer.
  • A worker’s right to file a complaint with the Saskatchewan Human Rights Commission under The Saskatchewan Human Rights Code.
  • A statement that the workplace harassment policy is not intended to discourage or prevent workers from exercising any other legal rights available to them.

In federally regulated workplaces Harassment and Violence Prevention Policies must include information about employees’ rights and options including…

  • a description of other options available to employees involved in an incident of harassment or violence
  • a description of the support measures that are available to employees

Information about Occupational Health and Safety Laws

Information about occupational health and safety laws must be included such as:

  • The legal obligations of employers, supervisors and employees.
  • Laws that prohibit an employer from taking action against a worker for complying with or seeking to enforce occupational health and safety laws.
  • Laws that deal with creating and implementing a policy on harassment prevention.

In federally regulated workplaces employers must ensure that employees, supervisors and managers are informed of their rights and obligations under the applicable laws regarding harassment and violence.

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The Shift Project is funded by the Department of Justice and delivered by the Public Legal Education Association of Saskatchewan (PLEA).

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