The Employer's Rights and Responsibilities

According to the amendments made on Bill 132, Sexual Violence and Harassment Action Plan Act (Supporting Survivors and Challenging Sexual Violence and Harassment), 2016, employers must now develop the following:

• policies and procedures regarding violence and harassment
• violence risk assessment
• procedures relating to employee reporting and incident investigation
• emergency response procedure in the event of violence
• a process to deal with complaints, incidents, and threats of violence, including domestic violence that may enter the workplace

(Workplace Safety and Prevention Services, 2012)

It is important that employers ensure the safety of their workers. By connecting workers to appropriate resources within the community, employers are able to contribute to a more productive workforce. (OHSCO, 2010)

“Under the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA), an employer must take every precaution reasonable in the circumstances for the protection of workers when they are aware, or ought reasonably to be aware, that domestic violence may occur in the workplace, and that it would likely expose a worker to physical injury”. (Ontario, 2017)

All workers should be advised to report concerns to their employer if they believe domestic violence could enter the workplace. Employers must be able to investigate concerns on a case-by-case basis and deal with cases appropriately. This may include helping the employee or victim of domestic violence come up with a safety plan catered to his or her unique needs.
(Ontario, 2017)