WORKPLACE BULLYING AND HARASSMENT POLICY 2600-037

WORKPLACE BULLYING AND HARASSMENT POLICY 2600-037

RECOMMENDATION:

THAT the Committee recommend to Council that Policy 2600-037 Workplace Bullying and Harassment be adopted.

CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER’S COMMENTS:

I concur with the recommendation.

PURPOSE OF REPORT:

To provide information concerning the recently Provincially-mandated policy around bullying and harassment in the workplace.

TIME CRITICAL:

WorkSafe BC requirements came into place on November 1, 2013 that are intended to address sections of the Workers' Compensation Act relating to the health and safety of workers. While WorkSafe BC has indicated that it will not be undertaking an "enforcement blitz" with this new policy requirement, it is important to come into compliance.

BACKGROUND/DISCUSSION:

The Workers' Compensation Act sets out the general duties of employers, workers and supervisors to ensure the safety or health of workers. As the issue of workplace bullying and harassment has been a growing one in Provincial (and even national and international) case law over the last decade, the meaning of safety and health has been recently expanded to include the prevention and addressing of workplace bullying and harassment.

Under the requirements, every employer is British Columbia must adopt an anti-bullying and harassment policy which sets out a program to facilitate reporting, investigating and training for the prevention of bullying and harassment. The goal of such a policy is to engender a respectful workplace that is collegial and positive.

The attached policy has been compiled with information taken from WorkSafe BC, other municipalities and HR Downloads, a firm that provides human resources' materials that are legislatively compliant (see Attachment "A").

It should be noted that under the Provincial requirements, the policy extends to not only employees, supervisors and managers employed by the Town, but also to Mayor and Council and all volunteers. Accordingly, brief training sessions, as stipulated in the Provincial regulations, will be provided to Mayor and Council at the December 10, 2013 Committee of the Whole meeting and to all View Royal volunteers at various opportunities early in 2014. In addition, there will be an online training session provided.

ALTERNATIVE TO THE RECOMMENDATION:

Council could decide to not adopt the policy though that would leave the municipality non-compliant with Provincial requirements and open to WorkSafe BC penalties, including fines. As well, employees would be left with no framework under which to take steps to prevent or minimize a potentially harmful workplace situation.

RECOMMENDATION:

THAT the Committee recommend to Council that Policy 2600-037 Workplace Bullying and Harassment be adopted.

SUBMITTED BY: J. Cochrane, Executive Assistant S. Jones, Director of Corporate Administration

REVIEWED BY: K. Anema, Chief Administrative Officer