If you are a worker and have witnessed or experienced Bullying or Harassment in your workplace, you must report it to your employer. Reports can be made through the VIU Safety Portal.
All allegations of Bullying and Harassment will be assessed. When the allegation meets the WorkSafeBC definition of bullying and harassment it will result in an investigation by VIU.
What is workplace Bullying and Harassment
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Includes any inappropriate conduct or comment by a person towards a worker that the person knew or reasonably ought to have known would cause that worker to be humiliated or intimidated
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Here are some examples of behaviours that may be determined to be bullying and harassment. This is not an exhaustive list:
- Aggressive or frightening behaviour such as swearing, shouting or intimidation by threatening violence
- Spreading false accusations about a person
- Criticism, humiliation, invasion of privacy, slanderous comments, undermining, destructive rumours, gossip or making unreasonable demands
- Rude, belittling or sarcastic comments
- Abusive, belittling or intimidating phone calls, emails, notes, etc.
- Baiting or unreasonable teasing. For example, singing derogatory songs and inserting the person's name or using cruel nicknames
- Nasty practical jokes
- Deliberate and unreasonable isolation or exclusion from work discussions, communication or other work-related activities
- Ignoring the person
- Withholding necessary information or deliberately withholding workflow so that a person cannot carry out their duties
- Removing areas of responsibility without cause
- Bullying and harassment can come from co-workers, supervisors, employers or external sources
- Bullying and harassment is not necessarily face to face. It may be done by written communications, sharing visual images such as embarrassing photographs, online communications or by phone.
- Bullying and harassment may or may not be connected to a protected ground under the Human Rights Code, depending on its nature.
What is not workplace Bullying and Harassment
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Expressing differences of opinion
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Offering constructive feedback
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Making a legitimate complaint about another worker's conduct
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Any reasonable action taken by an employer or supervisor relating to the management and direction of the workers or the place of employment
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Reasonable management actions, including decisions about:
- Job duties and work to be performed
- Workloads and deadlines
- Layoffs, transfers, promotions and reorganizations
- Work instruction, supervision or feedback
- Work evaluations
- Performance management
- Discipline, suspensions or terminations
Additional Resources
Please refer to the following WorkSafeBC fact sheets: