Workplace Violence and Harassment Archives

“Thanks for minding your own business”: The role of bystander intervention training in fighting workplace violence and harassment

March 25, 2015

The Ontario government video ad, #WhoWillYouHelp, which urges bystanders to intervene when witnessing sexual violence and harassment, has gone viral. The powerful ad depicts four disturbing vignettes of sexual harassment or violence where the viewer is essentially the bystander. One vignette shows a woman working at her office computer while a man gives her an

Occupational health and safety: Bell’s “Let’s Talk Day” puts the spotlight on mental health

February 2, 2015

This past Wednesday, January 28, was Bell Canada’s “Let’s Talk Day”, an annual event in which the communications giant makes additional donations (beyond its other contributions throughout the year) to Canadian mental health programs based on the number of text messages, wireless and long distance calls, and certain tweets and Facebook shares transmitted by its

Multiple stabbing in Toronto workplace: A tragic reminder of employers’ obligations under Bill 168

April 10, 2014

April 9, 2014 brought shocking news of an employee who allegedly reacted to the termination of his employment by pulling a knife during the dismissal meeting and stabbing four of his co-workers. At the time of this writing, three of those individuals remain in hospital—two of them in critical condition. News reports indicate that the

Recent amendment to Alberta’s Workers’ Compensation Act creates rebuttable presumption for PTSD claims of emergency service workers

February 28, 2013

A recent “hot topic” in occupational health and safety circles has been psychological health and safety in the workplace. From the workplace violence and harassment provisions that have been added to occupational health and safety legislation across the country, to the introduction of the Canadian Standards Association’s guideline Z1003 (Psychological health and safety in the

Ontario jury awards former Walmart employee $1.46 million for constructive dismissal

October 19, 2012

Setting a new “high-water mark” for damages in constructive dismissal cases in Ontario, a jury in Windsor, Ontario has awarded a former Walmart employee $1.46 million in damages, after finding that she was constructively dismissed. In delivering its verdict on October 10, 2012, the jury concluded that the employee had suffered abusive treatment, including mental

Workplace violence and harassment compliance: A tragic reminder

October 2, 2012

On September 15, 2012, a Toronto gas station attendant was killed after reportedly being dragged and run down by the vehicle of a customer who was attempting to leave the station without paying for fuel. This incident is a tragic example of the type of workplace violence that motivated the Bill 168 amendments to the

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