Workplace Harassment

Unresolved or unaddressed conflict in the workplace breeds a host of untenable working conditions that can cause psychological harm to employees, disruptions to productivity, expensive, lengthy lawsuits, and negative publicity for employers.

At Reed Research, we know how disruptive and costly these conflicts can be. We exceed industry standards for investigator competency. We offer experienced, certified, trauma-informed workplace investigators committed to conducting fair and impartial investigations for your workplace. This is a critical component of your legal obligations as an employer to maintain a safe, healthy and respectful work environment free from harassment, discrimination and bullying.

We provide prompt, thorough, and confidential results that determine the root causes, make findings of fact, and recommend ways to prevent future incidents so you can resolve conflict and make clear, informed, and legally defensible decisions.

Furthermore, we provide timely workplace assessments tailored to your unique circumstances. These assessments are powerful tools for discovering potential conflict hotspots and concerns in your workspace, empowering you to proactively address them and prevent detrimental incidents.

Lastly, our expertise extends to restoring strained working relationships marred by conflict, ensuring a conducive and productive atmosphere for all stakeholders.

The comments or conduct typically happen more than once. They could occur over a relatively short period (for example, during one day) or longer (weeks, months or years). However, there may be a situation where the conduct happens only once, such as an unwelcome sexual solicitation from a manager or employer.
Workplace harassment can include unwelcome and/or repeated words or actions that are known or should be known to be offensive, embarrassing, humiliating or demeaning to a worker or group of workers. It can also include behaviour that intimidates, isolates or even discriminates against a worker or group of workers in the workplace that are unwelcome.

This definition of workplace harassment is broad enough to include harassment prohibited under Ontario’s Human Rights Code and what is often called “psychological harassment” or “personal harassment.”

What is not Workplace Harassment
– Under the OHSA, Workplace harassment does not include a reasonable action taken by an employer or supervisor relating to the management and direction of workers or the workplace.