Workplace Bullying and Harassment

1. Workplace Bullying and Harassment Training and Legal Duties School District No. 53 (Okanagan Similkameen) February 25, 2014

2. Training overview Through this workshop, we will cover: Workers Compensation Act Recognizing workplace bullying and harassment Employer obligations Responding — worker and supervisor obligations Reporting procedures Investigating incidents or complaints Additional information

3. On-line training video – SD23 • Directions: • School/site administrators will receive an email from School District No. 23 (SD23) within a couple of days following this workshop with a link to the training video. • Your user name will be the first initial and surname of the school’s administrator. In all cases your password is “safe53”. • Following the instructions from SD23, complete units 1 through 7 but do NOT generate a certificate. Note that only one attempt at questions is allowed. • Each site will be responsible for a sign-in sheet that each employee must sign. Keep a copy on site and submit a copy to Merrill at the board office.

4. Workers Compensation Act • 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

5. What is workplace bullying and harassment? • 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

6. What is not 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

7. Effects and potential indicators • 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

8. Employer obligations 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

9. Policy statement Respectful Workplace Policy Statement (Draft 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.

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

11. Reporting procedures • 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

12. Complaint Form 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 emails, handwritten notes, or photographs • physical evidence such as vandalized personal belongings • if verbal, complete form with supervisor

13. Employee Documentation of Bullying and Harassment

14. Investigation Will vary according to level of severity Manager of Human Resources will oversee Most will be internal, but external investigators may be used in some cases Undertaken promptly and diligently Fair and impartial Sensitive to the interests of all parties, confidential Focused on facts and evidence Incorporate, where appropriate, any need or request for assistance during the investigation process

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

16. What must workers do? 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

17. What must supervisors do? Not engage in bullying and harassment Apply and comply with workplace policies and procedures on bullying and harassment

18. What can co-workers do to stop workplace bullying and harassment? • 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

19. Talking to an alleged bully • 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

20. For more information School District No. 53 policies and regulations can be found at http://www.sd53.bc.ca/district/policies , Policy D-6 (once finalized) Bullying and Harassment Package on FirstClass Health and Safety area For more tips, resources and information, visit WorkSafeBC.com/bullying