threat of violence

Navigating the issue of domestic violence in the workplace

July 20, 2012 David Hyde Health and Safety, Human Resources, Privacy and Security

Ontario’s recently enacted workplace violence amendment places a legal onus on provincially regulated employers to safeguard employees from the risk of domestic violence in the workplace. Additional jurisdictions are likely to follow suit. In legal terms, domestic violence is increasingly becoming a foreseeable workplace risk. In moral terms, inaction on this growing workplace issue would introduce unacceptable human risk.

Bill 168, domestic violence, domestic violence and the workplace, Due diligence, employment law, foreseeable harm, occupational health and safety act, OHSA, ontario, personal safety plan, reasonability, risk management, risk management strategy, safety plan, section 32.0.4, threat assessment, threat management plan, threat of domestic violence, threat of violence, workplace harassment, workplace injury, workplace investigation, workplace safety plan, workplace violence, workplace violence policy, workplace violence program, WorksafeBC

Employers must now treat verbal threats as serious offences under the OHSA’s definition of workplace violence

September 14, 2011 David Hyde Employee Relations, Health and Safety, Human Resources, Human Rights

A recent labour arbitrator’s decision—to uphold the City of Kingston’s right to terminate a 28-year employee for issuing a verbal threat against a co-worker—was based in large part on the arbitrator’s view that “the classification of threatening language as workplace violence” under the Occupational Health and Safety Act represents a “clear and significant change” to the law in Ontario.

Bill 168, employment law, inappropriate language, occupational health and safety act, OHSA, ontario, Ontario Labour Relations Act, proportionality, safe workplace, security, termination for cause, threat, threat of violence, uttering threats, verbal threats, violence, workplace harassment, workplace investigation, workplace violence