The “Reprisals” Challenge & How to Overcome It

The aspect of the newly passed Ontario OHS reform law, Bill 160, that’s probably going to have the most direct and immediate impact on you and your safety program are the changes that make it easier for workers to file reprisal complaints.

Of course, reprisals are a challenge to deal with even if you’re not from Ontario and don’t give a rodent’s posterior about what happens in that province.

Unfortunately, because it involves worker discipline, reprisals are too often relegated to the exclusive domain of the folks in HR. But while issues of discipline do require at least collaboration with HR, the reprisal threat is and will continue to emerge as a matter of workplace safety. OHS reform in Ontario only serves to accelerate and accentuate this trend.

The challenge: How do you discipline workers after they’ve raised safety concerns without being guilty of reprisals?

This Special Report will help you answer that question:

Chapter 1 explains what reprisals are and how they’re dealt with in Bill 160;

Chapter 2 goes into more detail about the law and explains what has to happen for a company to be liable for committing a reprisal; and

Chapter 3 sets out 4 things you can do to protect your company from liability:

  • Create a Non-Retaliation Policy;
  • Respond effectively when and if workers claim you reprised against them;
  • Use progressive discipline to enforce your company’s safety policies and procedures; and
  • Properly document any disciplinary actions you take against workers.