Humaniqa HR Blog
Saskatchewan Takes Action to Prevent Violence in the Workplace June 29 2023
Under the Occupational Health and Safety provision of the Saskatchewan Employment Act all employers are responsible for developing and implementing a written policy statement and prevention plan (PSPP) by May 17, 2024.
Find the Workplace Prevention: An employers guide for developing a policy statement and prevention plan in the Law section
To learn more about the PSPP requirements, visit: Preventing Violence in Saskatchewan Workplaces | Hazards and Prevention in Saskatchewan Workplaces | Government of Saskatchewan
La Saskatchewan prend des mesures pour prévenir la violence en milieu de travail
En vertu des dispositions en matière de santé et de sécurité au travail de la Loi sur l’emploi de la Saskatchewan, tous les employeurs sont responsables de l’élaboration et de la mise en œuvre d’un énoncé de politique écrit et d’un plan de prévention (PSPP) au plus tard le 17 mai 2024.
Trouver l’énoncé de prévention en milieu de travail : Guide de l’employeur pour l’élaboration d’un énoncé de politique et d’un plan de prévention dans l’article de la Loi
Pour en savoir plus sur les exigences du PSPP, visitez : Prévention de la violence en milieu de travail de la Saskatchewan | Risques et prévention dans les lieux de travail de la Saskatchewan | Gouvernement de la Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan: New Harassment Legislation, Effective January 1, 2022 January 05 2022
The Government of Saskatchewan has amended the Saskatchewan Employment Act to protect students, contract workers, and volunteers against harassment and sexual harassment within the workplace. The legislation will clarify that harassment includes any unwelcome action of a sexual nature.
Source: Government of Saskatchewan
To learn more: https://www.saskatchewan.ca/government/news-and-media/2021/december/20/amendments-to-the-saskatchewan-employment-act-come-into-force-january-1-2022
Bill C-65: Canada Labour Code’s New Harassment Framework March 14 2018
Purpose: The purpose of the HR Minute is to provide clients with timely information about human resources issues. Please take a moment to read this important information.
Introduced in November 2017, the federal government is currently reviewing Bill C-65, which, if passed into law, would present some important amendments to the Canada Labour Code’s standards and process around workplace violence and harassment, including sexual harassment and violence.
Bill C-65 would also ensure the application of those same provisions to parliamentary and political staff, governed by the Parliamentary Employment and Staff Relations Act (“PESRA”).
Proposed Changes to the Canada Labour Code
If passed, Bill C-65 would expand a number of provisions in Part II, Occupational Health and Safety. Some of the proposed changes include:
- New federal regulations surrounding the obligation for federal employers to take measures against and respond to harassment in the workplace. Employers would be required to investigate, record, and report all “accidents, occurrences of harassment or violence, occupational illnesses and other hazardous occurrences known to the employer.”
- The inclusion of “psychological injuries” and “psychological illnesses” as consequences of abuse, instead of focusing on physical injury.
- A new complaint reporting structure that would forward unresolved harassment or violence complaints directly to the attention of the Minister of Employment for investigation.
- New rules and guidelines regarding the complainant’s right to privacy; specifically, which employer agents are able to participate in an investigation without the employee’s explicit consent.
Proposed Changes to the Parliamentary Employment and Staff Relations Act
Presently, no legislative occupational health and safety standards apply to employees of the House of Commons, the Senate, the Library of Parliament, the Parliamentary Protective Service, or the Parliamentary Budget Officer. Bill C-65 would expressly provide for the application of the majority of the Code’s Occupational Health and Safety provisions to those employees and individuals who are not employees but are performing activities, the primary purpose of which is to enable the person to acquire knowledge and experience.
Takeaways
Being that this is a federal amendment, it applies chiefly to employees working in the public sector. However, the bill will likely serve as a valuable guide for employers of all jurisdictions.
Federally-regulated employers, including those covered by the PESRA, should consider whether Bill C-65’s proposed changes require an examination or revision of current policies and practices on workplace violence or harassment.
As of the time of writing, Bill C-65 is currently being read in committee and could be subject to further amendment. We will continue to report on this story as it develops; keep an eye on our website for updates.
Date: March, 2018
Another Shocking Instance of Violence in a Canadian Workplace May 28 2014
The alarming news out of Nanaimo, British Columbia is that a shotgun-toting man who walked into a sawmill earlier this week and opened fire, shooting four employees (two of them fatally), is a former employee of the sawmill.
This news comes less than one month after a former employee of a human resources software firm walked into a Toronto office building wielding a knife and proceeded to attack his former co-workers, stabbing four of them.
These horrifying instances serve as sobering reminders of the need for Canadian organizations to ensure that they have sound policies and procedures in place related to the prevention of workplace violence, and that employees are well-trained on them.
You may in fact have a legislative requirement to do so. Many Canadian jurisdictions – including Alberta, British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Newfoundland and Labrador, Prince Edward Island, and those regulated by the Canada Labour Code – have regulations specific to the prevention of violence in the workplace. Even where there is not specific workplace prevention legislation in place, all Canadian jurisdictions have occupational health and safety legislation that includes a provision requiring employers to generally protect the health and safety of employees, which could apply to circumstances of workplace violence.
Let Humaniqa help you put policies and practices into place to meet your legislated obligations, and better ensure a safe working environment for your employees.
About the Author:
Ehren Baldauf, CHRP, is the Vice President of Humaniqa.com, a national comprehensive web-based business solution that supports small and medium businesses in managing their human resources. Ehren is a Senior Human Resources Consultant with over nine years of HR experience. Ehren is experienced in assisting clients in both the private and public sectors manage their human resources function and aligning it with their organizations’ strategic objectives. Whether it’s providing expert advice on matters such as attendance or performance management, developing compensation strategies, or working with employers on labour relations matters such as collective bargaining, Ehren’s expertise and guidance has allowed countless business owners and managers to focus more of their energy on their business, while knowing that they are well supported when HR challenges are encountered.