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Your Guide to Identifying and Preventing Workplace Harassment

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workplace harassment

Over 31% of men and 47% of women have admitted experiencing workplace harassment in Canada. The majority of these cases come from Ontario. However, it is prudent to mention that the actual number can be significantly higher as many workplace harassment cases go unreported. Sometimes, victims fear for their reputation, and other times, the harasser may hold a position of power. 

While you must take action against workplace harassment, hiring a good lawyer can be the best choice, as they can provide you with legal guidance and support. Nonetheless, you should look for lawyers who sue police in ontario Canada as they have experience dealing with cases involving authority figures and navigating complex legal systems.

Different types of workplace harassment

Your course of action against harassment largely relies on the type of workplace harassment you experience. Following are some of the most common types of workplace harassment.

Sexual harassment

Continuous dating requests, asking for sexual favors, sexual jokes, and remarks, inappropriate `comments, showing pornographic content or sexually explicit content, etc., are some examples of sexual harassment. Sexual harassment can occur between individuals of different or the same genders and may also involve an imbalance of power between them.

Verbal harassment

Verbal harassment is when someone uses strong and derogatory words to intimidate you in the workplace. Sexist remarks, racial slurs, abusive words, name-calling, insulting, mocking, mimicking, etc., are some examples of verbal harassment in the workplace.

Physical harassment

Physical harassment

If someone uses force to harm, intimidate, or assert power over a coworker, then it is considered physical harassment. Punching, hitting, kicking, groping, grabbing, manhandling, touching inappropriately, etc., are some examples of physical harassment.

Religious harassment

If someone makes an offensive remark, derogatory comment, or obscene jokes about your religion, it is regarded as religious harassment. Moreover, belittling your religious beliefs, traditions, customs, and exclusion based on religion are also some examples of religious harassment.

Discrimination

Discrimination on the grounds of race, gender, age, disability, etc., are some common types of discrimination. It can significantly affect an employee’s mental well-being and job satisfaction. 

Ethnic harassment

If someone harasses you at your workplace for your accent, language, food preferences, ceremonies, attire, etc., then it is considered ethnic harassment. Nonetheless, stereotyping people, assuming behavior based on their ethnicity, etc., are also examples of ethnic harassment.

Bullying

Bullying means aggressive behavior meant to intimidate or exert power and control over others. Verbal abuse, threats, aggressive gestures, social exclusion, spreading false rumors, sabotaging work, etc., are some examples of workplace bullying. 

Cyber harassment

Also known as cyberbullying or online harassment, cyber harassment means using the internet and other digital channels of digital communication to harass an individual. Sending emails, threats, and hacking social media accounts, phones, computers, etc., are some examples of cyber harassment.

Social media harassment

Making derogatory posts about someone on social media platforms, sending harassing messages, insulting social media comments, etc., are considered social media harassment. Moreover, spreading false information about someone on social media to hurt their reputation also falls under social media harassment.

Responding to workplace harassment 

While it is challenging to face workplace harassment, it is essential to counter the harassment. You can rely on the anti-harassment policies your employer may have in place. Additionally, you can follow the following steps to counter the harassment.

  • You must first recognize the harassment and determine the type.
  • Note the time, dates, and other details related to the incident, like messages, emails, etc.
  • Understand the company’s policy to familiarize yourself with the procedure for addressing the harassment.
  • Contact your supervisor or  to report the harassment. Make sure that they maintain confidentiality.
  • You can consult a mental health professional to cope with the mental trauma.
  • If your employer does not provide effective solutions, you can consider contacting the human rights tribunal within one year of reporting the last harassment incident.
  • You can also hire an employment lawyer for professional help.

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