Marginal note:Definitions

• The following provision is not in force.

  1 (1) The following definitions apply in these Regulations.

  Act

  Act means Part II of the Canada Labour Code. (Loi)

  designated recipient

  designated recipient means a work unit in a work place or person that is designated by an employer under section 14. (destinataire désigné)

  occurrence

  occurrence means an occurrence of harassment and violence in the work place. (incident)

  principal party

  principal party means an employee or employer who is the object of an occurrence. (partie principale)

  responding party

  responding party means the person who is alleged to have been responsible for the occurrence in notice of an occurrence provided under subsection 15(1). (partie intimée)

  witness

  witness means a person who witnessed an occurrence or is informed of an occurrence by the principal party or responding party. (témoin)

• The following provision is not in force.

  Marginal note:Applicable Partner

  (2) In these Regulations, a reference to the “applicable partner” is to be read as a reference to the policy committee or, if there is no policy committee, as a reference to the work place committee or the health and safety representative.

Marginal note:When unable to agree

2 If an employer and the policy committee, the work place committee or the health and safety representative are unable to agree on any matter that is required by these Regulations to be done jointly by them, the employer’s decision prevails.

Marginal note:Prescribed circumstances — extension

3 The Minister may extend the time period referred to in subsection 125(4) of the Act if a former employee demonstrates in an application to the Minister that they were unable to make the occurrence known to the employer within the time period because they incurred trauma as a result of the occurrence or because of a health condition.

Marginal note:Time period to make complaint

4 For the purpose of subsection 127.1(12) of the Act, a former employee may make a complaint under subsection 127.1(1) of the Act until the day that is the later of

• The following provision is not in force.

  (a) three months after the day on which the former employee ceases to be employed by the employer, and

• The following provision is not in force.

  (b) if notice of the occurrence was provided under subsection 15(1), three months after the day on which the resolution process is completed in respect of the occurrence.

Marginal note:Joint assessment

• The following provision is not in force.

  5 (1) An employer and the applicable partner must jointly carry out a work place assessment that consists of the identification of risk factors under section 8 and the development and implementation of preventive measures under section 9.

• The following provision is not in force.

  Marginal note:Joint monitoring and updates

  (2) An employer and the applicable partner must jointly monitor the accuracy of the work place assessment and, if necessary, update it in order to reflect a change to the information set out in the assessment, including

  • The following provision is not in force.

    (a) a change to the risk factors identified under section 8; and

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    (b) a change that compromises the effectiveness of a preventive measure developed and implemented under section 9.

• The following provision is not in force.

  Marginal note:Review after three years

  (3) An employer and the applicable partner must jointly review the work place assessment every three years and, if necessary, update it.

Marginal note:Joint review and update

• The following provision is not in force.

  6 (1) An employer and the work place committee or the health and safety representative must jointly review and, if necessary, update the work place assessment if notice of an occurrence is provided under subsection 15(1) and

  • The following provision is not in force.

    (a) the occurrence is not resolved under section 23 and the principal party ends the resolution process under section 18; or

  • The following provision is not in force.

    (b) the responding party is not an employee or the employer.

• The following provision is not in force.

  Marginal note:Review to consider circumstances

  (2) A review conducted under subsection (1) must take into account the circumstances of the occurrence.

• The following provision is not in force.

  Marginal note:Multiple occurrences

  (3) If a review and update are being conducted under subsection (1) and notice is provided under subsection 15(1) of another occurrence that involves substantially the same matters and for which a review and update are also required under subsection (1), those occurrences may be addressed together in the same review and update.

Marginal note:Qualifications

7 An employer must ensure that each individual who is directed by the employer to identify the risk factors referred to in section 8, or to develop and implement the preventive measures referred to in section 9, is qualified to do so by virtue of their training, education or experience.

Marginal note:Identification of risk factors

8 An employer and the applicable partner must jointly identify the risk factors, internal and external to the work place, that contribute to harassment and violence in the work place, taking into account

• The following provision is not in force.

  (a) the culture, conditions, activities and organizational structure of the work place;

• The following provision is not in force.

  (b) circumstances external to the work place, such as family violence, that could give rise to harassment and violence in the work place;

• The following provision is not in force.

  (c) any reports, records and data that are related to harassment and violence in the work place;

• The following provision is not in force.

  (d) the physical design of the work place; and

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  (e) the measures that are in place to protect psychological health and safety in the work place.

Marginal note:Preventive measures — development and implementation

9 Within six months after the risk factors are identified under section 8, an employer and the applicable partner must jointly

• The following provision is not in force.

  (a) develop preventive measures that, to the extent feasible,

  • (i) mitigate the risk of harassment and violence in the work place, and

  • (ii) neither create nor increase the risk of harassment and violence in the work place;

• The following provision is not in force.

  (b) develop an implementation plan for the preventive measures; and

• The following provision is not in force.

  (c) implement the preventive measures in accordance with the implementation plan.

Marginal note:Joint development

• The following provision is not in force.

  10 (1) An employer and the applicable partner must jointly develop a work place harassment and violence prevention policy.

• The following provision is not in force.

  Marginal note:Policy content

  (2) The policy must contain the following elements:

  • The following provision is not in force.

    (a) the employer’s mission statement regarding the prevention of and protection against harassment and violence in the work place;

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    (b) a description of the respective roles of the employer, designated recipient, employees, policy committee, work place committee and health and safety representative in relation to harassment and violence in the work place;

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    (c) a description of the risk factors, internal and external to the work place, that contribute to work place harassment and violence;

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    (d) a summary of the training that will be provided regarding work place harassment and violence;

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    (e) a summary of the resolution process, including

    • (i) the name or identity of the designated recipient, and

    • (ii) the manner in which a principal party or witness may provide the employer or the designated recipient with notice of an occurrence;

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    (f) the reasons for which a review and update of the work place assessment must be conducted under subsection 6(1);

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    (g) a summary of the emergency procedures that must be implemented when an occurrence poses an immediate danger to the health and safety of an employee or when there is a threat of such an occurrence;

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    (h) a description of the manner in which the employer will protect the privacy of persons who are involved in an occurrence or in the resolution process for an occurrence under these Regulations;

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    (i) a description of any recourse, in addition to any under the Act or these Regulations, that may be available to persons who are involved in an occurrence;

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    (j) a description of the support measures that are available to employees; and

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    (k) the name of the person who is designated to receive a complaint made under subsection 127.1(1) of the Act.

• The following provision is not in force.

  Marginal note:Policy to be made available

  (3) An employer must make the policy available to all employees.

• The following provision is not in force.

  Marginal note:Joint review and update

  (4) An employer and the applicable partner must jointly review and, if necessary, update the policy at least once every three years and following any change to an element of the policy.

Marginal note:Joint development and implementation

• The following provision is not in force.

  11 (1) An employer and the applicable partner must jointly develop emergency procedures that are to be implemented if

  • The following provision is not in force.

    (a) an occurrence poses an immediate danger to the health and safety of an employee; or

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    (b) there is a threat of an occurrence referred to in paragraph (a).

• The following provision is not in force.

  Marginal note:Procedures available

  (2) An employer must make the emergency procedures available to all employees.

• The following provision is not in force.

  Marginal note:Joint review and update

  (3) After every implementation of the emergency procedures under subsection (1), an employer and the applicable partner must jointly review and, if necessary, update the procedures.

Marginal note:Joint development or identification

• The following provision is not in force.

  12 (1) An employer and the applicable partner must jointly develop or identify the training on work place harassment and violence that is to be provided to employees, the employer and the designated recipient.

• The following provision is not in force.

  Marginal note:Required training elements

  (2) The training must be specific to the culture, conditions and activities of the work place and include the following elements:

  • The following provision is not in force.

    (a) the elements of the work place harassment and violence prevention policy;

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    (b) a description of the relationship between work place harassment and violence and the prohibited grounds of discrimination set out in subsection 3(1) of the Canadian Human Rights Act; and

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    (c) a description of how to recognize, minimize, prevent and respond to work place harassment and violence.

• The following provision is not in force.

  Marginal note:Joint review and update

  (3) An employer and the applicable partner must jointly review and, if necessary, update the training at least once every three years and following any change to an element of the training.

• The following provision is not in force.

  Marginal note:Employee

  (4) An employer must ensure that an employee is provided with the training

  • The following provision is not in force.

    (a) within three months after the day on which their employment begins or, in the case of an employee whose employment began before the day on which these Regulations come into force, within one year after the day on which these Regulations come into force;

  • The following provision is not in force.

    (b) at least once every three years after that; and

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    (c) following any update to the training under subsection (3) or their assignment to a new activity or role for which there is an increased or specific risk of work place harassment and violence.

• The following provision is not in force.

  Marginal note:Designated recipient

  (5) An employer must ensure that the designated recipient is provided with the training before assuming their duties under these Regulations and at least once every three years after that.

• The following provision is not in force.

  Marginal note:Employer

  (6) An employer must undergo the training within one year after the day on which these Regulations come into force and at least once every three years after that.

Marginal note:Information available to employees

13 An employer must make available to employees information respecting the medical, psychological or other support services that are available within their geographical area.

Marginal note:Designated recipient

14 An employer must designate a person or work unit as the designated recipient to whom notice of an occurrence may be provided.

Marginal note:Providing notice

• The following provision is not in force.

  15 (1) Subject to subsections (2) and (3), a principal party or witness may, in writing or orally, provide an employer or the designated recipient with notice of an occurrence.

• The following provision is not in force.

  Marginal note:Exception

  (2) Notice must not be provided in respect of an occurrence if

  • The following provision is not in force.

    (a) the responding party is neither the employer nor an employee;

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    (b) exposure to harassment and violence is a normal condition of the principal party’s work; and

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    (c) the employer has measures in place to address that work place harassment and violence.

• The following provision is not in force.

  Marginal note:Employer is a party

  (3) If the principal party or the responding party is the employer, the notice must be provided to the designated recipient.

• The following provision is not in force.

  Marginal note:Anonymous notice

  (4) A witness may provide notice of an occurrence anonymously.

Marginal note:Content of notice

16 Notice of an occurrence must contain the following information:

• The following provision is not in force.

  (a) the name of the principal party and the responding party, if known;

• The following provision is not in force.

  (b) the date of the occurrence; and

• The following provision is not in force.

  (c) a detailed description of the occurrence.

Marginal note:Employer or designated recipient

17 For the purposes of sections 18 to 23, 26, 27, 29 and 34, a reference to “employer or designated recipient” is a reference to the one to whom notice of the occurrence was provided under subsection 15(1).

Marginal note:Principal party’s choices

18 The principal party may end the resolution process at any time by informing an employer or designated recipient that they choose not to continue with the process.

Marginal note:Initial review

• The following provision is not in force.

  19 (1) An employer or designated recipient must conduct an initial review of every notice of an occurrence.

• The following provision is not in force.

  Marginal note:Occurrence deemed to be resolved

  (2) Following the initial review, the occurrence is deemed to be resolved if the notice does not contain the name of the principal party or otherwise allow their identity to be determined.

Marginal note:Contact with principal party

20 An employer or designated recipient must, within seven days after the day on which notice of an occurrence is provided, contact the principal party to inform them

• The following provision is not in force.

  (a) that their notice has been received or that they have been named or identified as the principal party in notice provided by a witness, as the case may be;

• The following provision is not in force.

  (b) of the manner in which the work place harassment and violence prevention policy is accessed;

• The following provision is not in force.

  (c) of each step of the resolution process; and

• The following provision is not in force.

  (d) that they may be represented during the resolution process.

Marginal note:Contact with witness

21 If notice of an occurrence is provided by a witness who is not anonymous, an employer or designated recipient must, within seven days after the day on which the notice is provided, contact the witness to confirm that notice was received.

Marginal note:Contact with responding party

22 On the first occasion that an employer or designated recipient contacts the responding party regarding the occurrence, they must inform them

• The following provision is not in force.

  (a) that they have been named or identified as the responding party in the notice of an occurrence;

• The following provision is not in force.

  (b) of the manner in which the work place harassment and violence prevention policy is accessed;

• The following provision is not in force.

  (c) of each step of the resolution process; and

• The following provision is not in force.

  (d) that they may be represented during the resolution process.

Marginal note:Reasonable effort

• The following provision is not in force.

  23 (1) An employer or designated recipient, the principal party and, if contacted under section 22, the responding party, must make every reasonable effort to resolve an occurrence for which notice is provided under subsection 15(1) and those efforts must begin no later than 45 days after the day on which that notice is provided. However, if the occurrence is also investigated, it cannot be resolved under this section after the investigator has provided their report under subsection 30(1).

• The following provision is not in force.

  Marginal note:Review required

  (2) For the purposes of subsection (1), the reasonable effort includes a review by the principal party and the employer or designated recipient to determine whether the notice of occurrence provided under subsection 15(1) describes an action, conduct or comment that constitutes harassment and violence as defined in subsection 122(1) of the Act.

• The following provision is not in force.

  Marginal note:Joint determination — harassment and violence

  (3) For the purpose of subsection (1), resolution of the occurrence includes, but is not limited to, a joint determination by the principal party and the employer or designated recipient that the notice of occurrence provided under subsection 15(1) does not describe an action, conduct or comment that constitutes harassment and violence as defined in subsection 122(1) of the Act.

Marginal note:Conditions

24 The principal party and the responding party may attempt to resolve an occurrence for which notice is provided under subsection 15(1) by conciliation if they agree to conciliation and on a person to facilitate it. However, if the occurrence is also investigated, it cannot be resolved by conciliation after the investigator has provided their report under subsection 30(1).

Marginal note:When investigation is required

• The following provision is not in force.

  25 (1) Subject to subsection (2), if an occurrence is not resolved under section 23 or 24, an investigation of the occurrence must be carried out if the principal party requests it.

• The following provision is not in force.

  Marginal note:Investigation discontinued

  (2) If the occurrence being investigated is resolved under section 23 or 24 before the investigator has provided their report under subsection 30(1), the investigation must be discontinued.

Marginal note:Notice of investigation

26 An employer or the designated recipient must provide the principal party and the responding party with notice that an investigation is to be carried out.

Marginal note:Selection of investigator

• The following provision is not in force.

  27 (1) Subject to subsection (2), an employer or designated recipient must select one of the following persons to act as the investigator:

  • The following provision is not in force.

    (a) in the case where the employer and the applicable partner have jointly developed or identified a list of persons who may act as an investigator, a person from that list; and

  • The following provision is not in force.

    (b) in any other case,

    • (i) a person that is agreed to by the employer or designated recipient, the principal party and the responding party, or

    • (ii) if there is no agreement within 60 days after the day on which the notice is provided under section 26, a person from among those whom the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety identifies as having the knowledge, training and experience referred to in subsection 28(1).

• The following provision is not in force.

  Marginal note:Limit

  (2) An employer or designated recipient may select a person to act as the investigator only if the person

  • The following provision is not in force.

    (a) possesses the knowledge, training and experience referred to in subsection 28(1); and

  • The following provision is not in force.

    (b) provides the employer or designated recipient, principal party and responding party with a written statement indicating that the person is not in a conflict of interest in respect of the occurrence.

Marginal note:Investigator’s qualifications

• The following provision is not in force.

  28 (1) For the purposes of these Regulations, an investigator must

  • The following provision is not in force.

    (a) be trained in investigative techniques;

  • The following provision is not in force.

    (b) have knowledge, training and experience that are relevant to harassment and violence in the work place; and

  • The following provision is not in force.

    (c) have knowledge of the Act, the Canadian Human Rights Act and any other legislation that is relevant to harassment and violence in the work place.

• The following provision is not in force.

  Marginal note:Statement of qualifications

  (2) A person or party referred to in subparagraph 27(1)(b)(i) who proposes that a person act as the investigator must provide the other persons and parties referred to in that subparagraph with the following information about the proposed investigator:

  • The following provision is not in force.

    (a) their name;

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    (b) if they are an employee of the employer, their job title and the name of their immediate supervisor;

  • The following provision is not in force.

    (c) a description of their knowledge, training and experience demonstrating that they meet the requirements of subsection (1); and

  • The following provision is not in force.

    (d) a description of any experience that they have which is relevant to the nature of the occurrence that is to be investigated.

Marginal note:Information for investigator

29 An employer or the designated recipient must provide the investigator with all information that is relevant to the investigation.

Marginal note:Investigator’s report

• The following provision is not in force.

  30 (1) An investigator’s report regarding an occurrence must set out the following information:

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    (a) a general description of the occurrence;

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    (b) their conclusions, including those related to the circumstances in the work place that contributed to the occurrence; and

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    (c) their recommendations to eliminate or minimize the risk of a similar occurrence.

• The following provision is not in force.

  Marginal note:Identity of persons

  (2) An investigator’s report must not reveal, directly or indirectly, the identity of persons who are involved in an occurrence or the resolution process for an occurrence under these Regulations.

• The following provision is not in force.

  Marginal note:Copies of report

  (3) An employer must provide a copy of the investigator’s report to the principal party, responding party, the work place committee or health and safety representative and, if they were provided with notice under subsection 15(1), the designated recipient.

Marginal note:Joint determination

• The following provision is not in force.

  31 (1) An employer and the work place committee or the health and safety representative must jointly determine which of the recommendations set out in the report are to be implemented.

• The following provision is not in force.

  Marginal note:Implementation

  (2) The employer must implement all recommendations that are determined under subsection (1).

Marginal note:Completion of process

32 The resolution process for an occurrence is completed when

• The following provision is not in force.

  (a) if a work place assessment is required under subsection 6(1), the review and, if necessary, update of the assessment are carried out;

• The following provision is not in force.

  (b) the occurrence is resolved under subsection 19(2) or under section 23 or 24;

• The following provision is not in force.

  (c) if an investigator has provided a report in accordance with subsection 30(1), the employer implements the recommendations referred to in subsection 31(2).

Marginal note:Time limit

• The following provision is not in force.

  33 (1) Subject to subsection (2), an employer must ensure that the resolution process is completed within one year after the day on which notice of the occurrence is provided under subsection 15(1).

• The following provision is not in force.

  Marginal note:Temporary absence

  (2) If the principal party or responding party is temporarily absent from work for more than 90 consecutive days after the day on which notice of the occurrence is provided under subsection 15(1), the employer must ensure that the resolution process is completed within the later of

  • The following provision is not in force.

    (a) one year after the day on which notice of the occurrence is provided under subsection 15(1), and

  • The following provision is not in force.

    (b) six months after the day on which the party returns to work.

Marginal note:Monthly status updates

34 For every occurrence for which notice is provided under subsection 15(1), an employer or designated recipient must provide monthly updates regarding the status of the resolution process to

• The following provision is not in force.

  (a) the principal party, beginning on the first month after the month in which the notice is provided and ending on the month in which the resolution process is completed; and

• The following provision is not in force.

  (b) the responding party, beginning on the first month after the month in which the responding party is first contacted by the employer or designated recipient concerning the occurrence and ending on the month in which the resolution process is completed.

Marginal note:Records to be kept

• The following provision is not in force.

  35 (1) An employer must keep the following health and safety records:

  • The following provision is not in force.

    (a) the work place harassment and violence prevention policy;

  • The following provision is not in force.

    (b) a copy of the documents that form part of the work place assessment;

  • The following provision is not in force.

    (c) a copy of the documents that form part of each review and update of the work place assessment;

  • The following provision is not in force.

    (d) for each instance where the employer and the policy committee, the work place committee or the health and safety representative are unable to agree on a matter that is required by these Regulations to be jointly done by them, a record of the employer’s decision in that matter and the reasons for that decision;

  • The following provision is not in force.

    (e) a record of each notice provided under subsection 15(1) and of each action taken in response to the notice;

  • The following provision is not in force.

    (f) for each instance where a time limit set out in section 33 is not met, a document that sets out the reason for the delay;

  • The following provision is not in force.

    (g) a copy of each report that is prepared by an investigator under subsection 30(1);

  • The following provision is not in force.

    (h) a copy of each annual report; and

  • The following provision is not in force.

    (i) a copy of each fatality report provided under subsection 37(1).

• The following provision is not in force.

  Marginal note:Time period

  (2) An employer must keep the records referred to in paragraphs (1)(c) to (i) for a period of 10 years.

Marginal note:Content

36 On or before March 1 of each year, an employer must provide the Minister with an annual report that sets out

• The following provision is not in force.

  (a) their name or business name;

• The following provision is not in force.

  (b) their business number, as defined in subsection 248(1) of the Income Tax Act;

• The following provision is not in force.

  (c) the name of a person who can be contacted in respect of the report; and

• The following provision is not in force.

  (d) the following information respecting the occurrences for which notice was provided under subsection 15(1) in the preceding calendar year:

  • (i) the total number of occurrences,

  • (ii) the number of occurrences that were related, respectively, to sexual harassment and violence and non-sexual harassment and violence,

  • (iii) the number of occurrences that resulted in the death of an employee,

  • (iv) if known, the number of occurrences that fell under each prohibited ground of discrimination set out in subsection 3(1) of the Canadian Human Rights Act,

  • (v) the locations where the occurrences took place, specifying the total number of occurrences that took place in each location,

  • (vi) the types of professional relationships that existed between the principal and responding parties, specifying the total number for each type,

  • (vii) the means set out in section 32 by which resolution processes were completed and, for each of those means, the number of occurrences involved, and

  • (viii) the average time, expressed in months, that it took to complete the resolution process for an occurrence.

Marginal note:Time period

• The following provision is not in force.

  37 (1) If an occurrence results in the death of an employee, an employer must report the occurrence to the Minister within 24 hours after becoming aware of the employee’s death.

• The following provision is not in force.

  Marginal note:Content

  (2) The report must set out the following information:

  • The following provision is not in force.

    (a) the employer’s name or business name;

  • The following provision is not in force.

    (b) the employer’s business number, as defined in subsection 248(1) of the Income Tax Act;

  • The following provision is not in force.

    (c) a general description of the occurrence;

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    (d) the date and time of the occurrence; and

  • The following provision is not in force.

    (e) the name of a person who can be contacted in respect of the report.

38 [Amendments]

39 [Amendments]

40 [Amendments]

41 [Amendments]

42 Sections 20.1, 20.2 and 20.9 of the Canada Occupational Health and Safety Regulations, as they read immediately before the day on which the Work Place Harassment and Violence Prevention Regulations come into force, continue to apply to all “work place violence”, as described in section 20.2 of the Canada Occupational Health and Safety Regulations and alleged work place violence, of which the employer becomes aware before the day on which the Work Place Harassment and Violence Prevention Regulations come into force.

43 [Amendments]

44 [Amendments]

45 [Amendments]

46 [Amendments]

47 [Amendments]

48 [Amendments]

49 [Amendments]

50 [Amendments]

51 [Amendments]

52 [Amendments]

53 Sections 90, 96 and 103 of the Maritime Occupational Health and Safety Regulations, as they read immediately before the day on which the Work Place Harassment and Violence Prevention Regulations come into force, continue to apply to all work place violence, as defined in section 90 of Maritime Occupational Health and Safety Regulations, and alleged work place violence of which the employer becomes aware before the day on which Work Place Harassment and Violence Prevention Regulations come into force.

54 [Amendments]