First Reference Talks

Domestic violence and the workplace – balancing privacy and safety

Monday, March 7th, 2011

I’m going to go out on a limb here and say that most of the requirements of Ontario’s Occupational Health and Safety Amendment Act (Violence and Harassment in the Workplace) 2009 are uncontroversial, and most organizations should have little trouble understanding them and complying. However, one aspect of the law has caused more discussion and confusion than any other: the domestic violence provisions, which require employers to intervene in instances where they suspect (based on reasonable evidence) that an employee has suffered or is suffering from domestic violence, particularly if that violence might reach into the workplace.

Tags: balancing privacy and safety, Bill 168, dealing with workplace violence, disclosure of personal information, disclosure of persons with a history of violence, domestic violence, domestic violence and the workplace, employment law, management, ontario, Ontario Occupational Health and Safety Act, safety trumps privacy, signs of domestic violence, Violence and Harassment in the Workplace, workplace harassment, workplace violence
Posted in Health and Safety, Human Resources, Privacy and Security | 3 Comments »

The ‘Ministry’ will investigate complaints of harassment… Really??!!

Tuesday, July 13th, 2010

As a human rights advisor and educator I was encouraged to overhear this educational conversation about harassment at Tim Hortons. I was concerned however that part of the message this group was hearing was incorrect and misleading.

Tags: harassment, harassment prevention, health and safety, health and safety training, investigate complaints of harassment, investigation, ministry inspectors, Ministry of Labour, occupational health and safety, OHSA, Ontario Ministry of Labour, Ontario Occupational Health and Safety Act, Tim Horton, training, violence, violence prevention, workplace harassment, workplace harassment prevention guide, workplace investigation
Posted in Health and Safety, Human Resources | 6 Comments »

Violence and harassment prevention: Keep hate crimes in check!

Tuesday, June 22nd, 2010

You have a legal obligation to understand how the race, religion and sexual orientation of your employees can impact their safety at work. Understanding these factors will empower you to take steps to protect your workers from harassment and violence as required by the recent amendments to Ontario’s Occupational Health and Safety Act (Bill 168).

Tags: Bill 168, employment law, harassment, hate crimes, health and safety training, occupational health and safety, OHSA, ontario, Ontario Occupational Health and Safety Act, race, racism, religion, sexual orientation, training, violence, violence and harassment prevention, workplace training
Posted in Health and Safety, Human Resources | Make a Comment »

Young and new workers focus of four-month enforcement blitz

Monday, April 19th, 2010

The Ministry of Labour has announced that the safety of young and new workers will be the focus of a four-month enforcement health and safety blitz across Ontario beginning in May 2010. According to the government, young and new workers in Ontario are four times more likely to be injured during the first month of employment than at any other time.

Tags: enforcement blitz, health and safety, health and safety enforcement, occupational health and safety, Ontario Ministry of Labour, Ontario Occupational Health and Safety Act, safe at work, young and new workers
Posted in Health and Safety, Human Resources | Make a Comment »

Employees need ergonomic awareness training also

Thursday, March 18th, 2010

The Occupational Health and Safety Act requires all employees to:

• Act in compliance with the law
• Use protective equipment and devices provided by their employer
• Report defects in equipment
• Report the existence of workplace hazards

Tags: ergonomics, ergonomics training, health and safety, occupational health and safety, OH&S, OHSA, Ontario Occupational Health and Safety Act, policies and procedures, training
Posted in Health and Safety, Human Resources | Make a Comment »

Don’t underestimate conflicts that arise from harassment

Friday, January 29th, 2010

One other session I attended at the 2010 Ontario HRPA conference was Andrew Lawson’s on Protecting your organization from the workplace bully. He made a couple of good points on the topic of workplace harassment that I would like to share with you.

Tags: Andrew Lawson, Bill 168, bully, bullying, canadian employment law, harassment, harassment in the workplace, health and safety, HR issues, HRPA, Human Resources, occupational health and safety, Ontario Occupational Health and Safety Act, privacy legislation, privacy rights, workplace conflicts, workplace harassment
Posted in Health and Safety, Human Resources | 4 Comments »

Clarification on Ontario Bill 168

Thursday, January 28th, 2010

On January 27, 2010, I attended the HRPA annual conference. I was most interested on the session titled, Violence in the Workplace: An Update on Bill 168 from the Ministry of Labour. I needed some clarification on possible exemptions to the new violence and harassment prevention law and the application of certain measures in the bill.

Tags: Bill 168, Bill 168 violence, disclosure of personal information, disclosure of persons with a history of violence, domestic violence, harassment policy, ontario, Ontario Ministry of Labour, Ontario Occupational Health and Safety Act, violence in the workplace, violence policy, workplace harassment, workplace violence, workplace violence and harassment
Posted in Health and Safety, Human Resources | 6 Comments »

Disclosing persons with a history of violence

Wednesday, January 27th, 2010

The Ontario Occupational Health and safety Act violence and harassment prevention provisions (Bill 168) require employers to provide information, including personal information, about a person with a history of violent behaviour if:

Tags: Bill 168, Bill 168 violence, disclosure of personal information, disclosure of persons with a history of violence, human rights, OH&S, OHSA, Ontario Human Rights Code, Ontario Occupational Health and Safety Act, personal information, privacy legislation, privacy rights, private sector privacy legislation
Posted in Health and Safety, Human Resources | Make a Comment »

Transition period for Bill 168 means: time to act

Wednesday, January 20th, 2010

Ontario employers take heed, the six-month transition period provided by the government before amendments to Ontario’s Occupational Health and Safety Act (Bill 168) come into force allow you time to prepare and be in compliance. This means implementing the new rules and measures required by law on or before June 15, 2010.

Tags: Bill 168 violence, harassment, occupational health and safety, ontario, Ontario Occupational Health and Safety Act, violence, workplace harassment, workplace prevention plan, workplace prevention program, workplace violence
Posted in Health and Safety, Human Resources | 3 Comments »

Refusing work if workplace violence is likely to endanger

Tuesday, January 19th, 2010

What do you do when an employee tells you she’s refusing to work because she fears she’ll suffer from an act of violence at the workplace? You might ask: can the worker even do that? With workplace violence and harassment legislation and regulation spreading across Canada, you might just need to know.

Tags: Bill 168, discipline, occupational health and safety, Ontario Occupational Health and Safety Act, privacy, right to refuse work, work refusal, workplace harassment, workplace policies, workplace violence
Posted in Health and Safety, Human Resources | 2 Comments »

Workplace violence and harassment prevention measures now law

Thursday, December 17th, 2009

Following my December 14 blog post , the Ontario government gave royal assent to Bill 168, Occupational Health and Safety Amendment Act (Violence and Harassment in the Workplace) 2009, on December 15, 2009. As we stated…

Tags: canadian employment law, domestic violence, employment law, general duty clause, harassment, Health and Safety program, occupational health and safety, Ontario Occupational Health and Safety Act, policies and procedures, policy manual, workplace harassment, workplace violence
Posted in Health and Safety, Human Resources | 7 Comments »

Ontario Bill 168 passes: workplace violence and harassment prevention addressed

Monday, December 14th, 2009

Ontario Bill 168, the Occupational Health and Safety Amendment Act (Violence and Harassment in the Workplace) 2009 finally passed third reading on December 9, 2009 and is awaiting royal assent to become law. The bill will come into force six months after it receives royal assent (which is expected sometime mid-2010), and will make a number of significant changes to the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA). New provisions will require employers to take precautions to prevent and protect workers from violence, harassment and domestic violence that could take place in the workplace. This means all employers will have to address the issue of violence and harassment prevention on both a human rights and a health and safety perspective.

Tags: canadian employment law, employment law, general duty clause, harassment, human rights, occupational health and safety, Ontario Occupational Health and Safety Act, policies and procedures, violence in the workplace
Posted in Health and Safety, Human Resources | 7 Comments »