ABSTRACT
Ontario's Sexual Violence and Harassment Action Plan Act, 2016 received Royal Assent on March 8, 2016. The Act became effective on September 8, 2016. The Act makes changes to the Occupational Health and Safety Act, which creates specific duties for all employers to develop policies and procedures to prevent sexual harassment in the workplace, including a duty to investigate incidents and complaints. The employer shall provide a worker with information and instruction that is appropriate for the worker on the contents of the policy and program with respect to workplace harassment, and any other prescribed information. The employer is required to take action when a worker is threatened or is an abuser, to protect employees from psychological harassment, and workplace violence, including issues of domestic violence in the workplace. An employer with more than five workers must conduct an annual workplace risk assessment to identify workplace bullying and harassment.
