Harassment Investigation Policy

The duty to prevent workplace harassment is nothing new. But new laws like Bill 168 in Ontario and psychological harassment in Quebec have upped the ante and, quite candidly, put many employers on edge about harassment. In this environment, a great harassment policy is an absolute must; but it’s not enough. You also need clear and specific procedures for investigating claims by employees that they’ve suffered harassment on the job. The investigation is no mere formality. If you don’t do it right, you’ll lose your claim—regardless of whether the employee’s claim holds water.

Although each organization needs to craft procedures right for its own personnel and workplace, the following Model Procedure is an excellent starting point that you can adapt.