SPACC Harassment Policy

St. Paul’s Anglican Community Committee

77 King Street

Delta Ontario K0E 1G0

Harassment in the Workplace Policy

St. Paul’s Anglican Community Centre

Policy Statement:

Harassment, whether sexual, racial, based on a personal characteristic, or through abuse of authority is an unfortunate reality in our society. But harassment, bullying, and violence are also against the laws of our country.

The St. Paul’s Anglican Community Committee is committed to creating and maintaining a safe work environment and therefore, harassment, (any type of behavior which disregards the dignity and worth of other human beings as defined by law), bullying, and violence will not be tolerated within the facilities of the St. Paul’s Anglican Community Committee, or at events or programs held on or off the community Centre property. Immediate steps will be taken to end any instances of harassment, bullying or violence of which the Committee becomes aware.

Definitions

“Bullying” is a form of Harassment and involves one person using his/her power or status in a willful manner with the aim of hurting or belittling another individual.

“Harassment” means engaging in a course of vexatious comment or conduct against an individual that is known or ought reasonably to be known to be unwelcome and includes Racial/Ethnic/Gender Harassment and Sexual Harassment. Harassment includes unsolicited, unwelcome, disrespectful or offensive behaviour, and may involve an underlying sexual, bigoted, ethnic or racial connotation.  Examples of Harassment include:

·         behaviour that intends to degrade an individual based on personal attributes, including age, race, nationality, disability, family status, religion, gender, sexual orientation, or any other Human Rights protected grounds.

·         refusing to speak to or work with someone or treating someone differently because of their sex, or their ethnic, gender or racial background.

·         unwanted sexual solicitation or advances, or sexual advances by a person in a position of authority over another.

·         unwelcome remarks, jokes, innuendoes, propositions, or taunting about a person or person's body, attire, sex or sexual orientation and/or based on religion.

·         suggestive or offensive remarks.

·         bragging about sexual prowess.

·         offensive jokes or comments of a sexual nature about another individual.

·         unwelcome language related to gender or sex.

·         displaying of pornographic, explicit or sexist pictures or materials.

·         leering (suggestive persistent staring).

·         patronizing or condescending behaviour.

·         any actions that create a hostile, intimidating or offensive environment, which may include physical, verbal, written, graphic, or electronic means.

Harassment does not include:

·         measures to correct performance deficiencies, such as placing someone on a performance improvement plan

·         imposing discipline for workplace infractions

·         requesting medical documents in support of an absence from work.

·         normal workplace conflict that may occur between individuals

·         differences of opinion between individuals

“Racial/Ethnic/Gender Harassment” means any conduct or comment which causes humiliation to an individual because of his/her racial or ethnic background, gender, colour, place of birth, citizenship or ancestry.

“Sexual Harassment” means engaging in a course of vexatious comment or conduct against an individual because of sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression, where the course of comment or conduct is known or ought reasonably to be known to be unwelcome, or making a sexual solicitation or advance where the person making the solicitation or advance is in a position to confer, grant or deny a benefit or advancement and the person knows or ought reasonably to know that the solicitation or advance is unwelcome.

“Violence” means:

·         the exercise of physical force by a person against an individual, that causes or could cause physical injury to the individual.

·         an attempt to use physical force against an individual that could cause physical injury to the individual; and/or

·         a statement or behavior that is reasonable for an individual to interpret as a threat to exercise physical force against the individual that could cause physical injury to the individual.

Harassment and Violence are against the law

The Ontario Human Rights Code and the Occupational Health and Safety Act provide protections for individuals and “workers” from Harassment and Violence. The Criminal Code protects people from acts of criminal harassment, as well as physical or sexual assault and battery.

Harassment is any behaviour that demeans, humiliates or embarrasses a person, and that a reasonable person should have known would be unwelcome. It can include actions (e.g. touching, pushing), comments (e.g. jokes, name-calling), or displays (e.g. posters, cartoons). The Ontario Human Rights Code prohibits harassment in employment related to race, national or ethnic origin, colour, religion, age, sex, marital status, family status, disability, pardoned conviction, or sexual orientation.

Application of the Policy

1.      This policy prohibits Harassment, Bullying and Violence by any member of the St. Paul’s Anglican Community Committee and/or the St. Paul’s Anglican Community Centre. Any employee, member, or committee member of The St. Paul’s Anglican Community Committee or The St. Paul’s Anglican Committee Centre may make a complaint of Harassment, Bullying or Violence against another member or employee.

2.      This policy applies to incidents of Harassment, Bullying and Violence that occur during the operation or participation in community centre sponsored organizations, activities and programs, whether they occur on-site or off-site. Examples of off-site settings include, but are not limited to, field trips, conferences or training events, and community centre sponsored social functions.

3.      Persons who are not employees, members or volunteers of the St. Paul’s Anglican Community Centre (hereafter called "Third Parties") may have concerns about Harassment, Bullying or Violence and are encouraged to express their concerns to the Secretary of the St. Paul’s Anglican Community Committee Board of Directors. The Secretary will advise the person raising the concern and, where appropriate, refer the matter to the appropriate individual and advise the Board of Directors. In appropriate circumstances, these procedures may be used where a Third Party makes a complaint against a volunteer or employee who was involved in the course of her/his work or participation in Community Centre or Committee sponsored organizations, activities and programs. Third parties include, but are not limited to, contractors, their employees and agents; vendors of goods and services to the Community Centre, their employees and agents; visitors to the Community Centre; and others with similar connections to the Community Centre or the Community Committee.

4.      Third Parties using Community Centre property are expected to conduct themselves in a manner consistent with this policy. Allegations of Harassment, Bullying or Violence by a Third Party will be dealt with by the Community Committee as unacceptable behaviour that may result in suspension of Community Centre privileges, such as access to the Community Centre or other appropriate action. Such allegations should be reported to the Secretary of the St. Paul’s Anglican Community Committee Board of Directors.

5.      This policy will not be applied or interpreted in such a way as to detract from the right of those in supervisory roles to manage and discipline employees and volunteers in accordance with normal business practices, or from any existing rights or obligations contained within any existing code of conduct or legislation.

6.      This policy is to be interpreted and administered in a way that is consistent with the principles of religious freedom and freedom of speech. Neither this policy in general, nor its definitions are to be applied in such a way as to detract from the right of employees and volunteers to engage in the frank, but civil, discussion of potentially controversial matters, such as age, race, politics, religion, sex and sexual orientation.

7.      Notwithstanding the existence of this policy, every person continues to have the right to seek assistance from the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario or, where a criminal act is involved, the police, even when actions are being taken under this policy

General

The St. Paul’s Anglican Community Committee is committed to providing a safe and healthy work environment free from discrimination, harassment, intimidation and any other misconduct. Similarly, weapons are strictly prohibited. The St. Paul’s Anglican Community Committee will develop and maintain a policy and program related to Harassment and Violence and will post a copy of its Harassment and Violence Policy on its Website (spacc.ca) and at a conspicuous location in the Community Centre facility.

It is also a violation of the St. Paul’s Anglican Community Centre’s Harassment and Violence Policy for anyone to knowingly make a false complaint of Harassment, Bullying or Violence or to provide false information about a complaint. Individuals who violate this Policy are subject to disciplinary and/or corrective action, up to and including termination of employment or appointment, inhibition, or the loss of community centre privileges.

This Policy prohibits reprisals against individuals, acting in good faith, who report incidents of Harassment, Bullying or Violence or act as witnesses in the investigation of a complaints. Management will take all reasonable and practical measures to prevent reprisals, threats of reprisal, or further Harassment, Bullying or Violence. Reprisal is defined as any act of retaliation, either direct or indirect. Individuals who engage in reprisal may be subject to disciplinary and/or corrective action, up to and including termination of employment or appointment, inhibition, or the loss of community centre privileges.

Identifying information about any individuals involved in a complaint of Harassment, Bullying, or Violence will be kept confidential to the degree possible. Generally, identifying information will not be disclosed unless the disclosure is necessary for the purpose of investigation, the taking corrective action, protecting individuals, or as otherwise required by law

Review

As required by the Occupational Health and Safety Act, the St. Paul’s Anglican Community Committee will review this policy annually and will post the policy on the Website.

Last update – April 2025