Workplace Bullying and Harassment School District No. 53 (Okanagan Similkameen) August 2014

 Duties of employers, workers and supervisors:  Ensure and protect health and safety  Includes workplace bullying and harassment  Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) policies on workplace bullying and harassment, effective November 1, 2013 Workers Compensation Act

 Behaviour that humiliates or intimidates Examples might include:  verbal aggression or name-calling  vandalizing personal belongings  sabotaging work  spreading malicious rumours  humiliating initiation practices / hazing  personal attacks  aggressive / threatening gestures  cyber-bullying  Can come from co-workers, supervisors, employers, external sources What is workplace bullying and harassment?

 Expressing differences of opinion  Offering constructive feedback  Making a legitimate complaint about another worker’s conduct  Reasonable management action, including decisions about:  job duties and work to be performed  workloads and deadlines  layoffs, transfers, promotions, and reorganizations  work instruction, supervision, or feedback  work evaluation  performance management  discipline, suspensions, or terminations What is not bullying and harassment?

 Workplace bullying and harassment might result in:  health and safety issues  distracting someone who is performing dangerous tasks  physical and/or psychological injury  lower productivity  lower morale  higher absenteeism  staff turnover — targets of bullying and harassment and their co-workers Effects and potential indicators

 Create a workplace policy statement – in progress  Prevent or minimize bullying and harassment  Develop reporting procedures  Develop procedures for dealing with / investigating incidents or complaints  Train workers and supervisors Employer obligations

Respectful Workplace Policy Statement (Policy No. D-6) The Board does not tolerate bullying or harassment and encourages all employees, parents, volunteers, contractors or other adults to speak up if they believe they are being treated disrespectfully or subjected to bullying or harassment. The Board expects problems individuals are facing are accurately identified as early as possible and resolved in a timely, respectful and effective manner. Policy statement

Health and Safety Policy Statement To be posted on your site’s H & S bulletin board

 Can be verbal or written  Report as soon as possible following the incident(s)  Report to:  union or association rep  supervisor or manager  note: if your supervisor or manager is the source of the bullying and harassment, you would report your concern to their manager  the superintendent or manager of human resources Reporting procedures

Complaint Form 10 Provide as much information as possible:  names of people  witnesses  where event(s) occurred  what behaviour and/or words led to the complaint  attach supporting documents, such as s, handwritten notes, or photographs  physical evidence such as vandalized personal belongings  if verbal, complete form with supervisor

11 Employee Documentation of Bullying and Harassment

The investigation will:  vary according to level of severity  be overseen by the manager of human resources  usually be internal, but external investigators may be used in some cases  be undertaken promptly and diligently  be fair and impartial  be sensitive to the interests of all parties, confidential  focus on facts and evidence  incorporate, where appropriate, any need or request for assistance during the investigation process Investigation

 Interviews with alleged target and alleged bully  Interviews with witnesses  Evidence such a s, handwritten notes, photographs, or physical evidence like vandalized objects 13 Investigations may include:

Workers must:  report if they observe or experience bullying and harassment  not engage in workplace bullying and harassment  apply and comply with workplace policies and procedures on bullying and harassment Supervisors must:  not engage in bullying and harassment  apply and comply with workplace policies and procedures on bullying and harassment What must workers and supervisors do?

 Listen to the target  Don’t gossip  Offer support (e.g. employee assistance program, counsellor)  Document details of what you see to share in an investigation  dates  details  witnesses  Tell the bully to stop What can co-workers do to stop workplace bullying and harassment?

 If you are the target of, or witness to, bullying and harassment:  tell the bully what behaviour was inappropriate  make it clear the behaviour is unwanted and unacceptable  stay calm  don’t retaliate  report it Talking to an alleged bully

 School District No. 53 policies and regulations can be found at Policy D-6 Respectful Workplace  Bullying and Harassment resources on FirstClass Health and Safety area  For more tips, resources and information, visit WorkSafeBC.com/bullying For more information