Updates to TTC’s Respect and Dignity Policy

From the Diversity and Human Rights Department

To be treated with respect and dignity is a cornerstone of the TTC’s Employee Charter and Respect and Dignity Policy.

On March 8, 2016, the Government of Ontario enacted Bill 132, which makes amendments to the workplace harassment provisions under the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA). As a result of these amendments, the TTC’s Respect and Dignity Policy has been updated to include the following changes:

• The definition of “workplace sexual harassment” has been updated to be consistent with OHSA’s definition. OHSA has now expanded its definition of workplace harassment to include sexual harassment;
• All persons involved in an investigation, including supervisors, are responsible to ensure that information obtained about an incident or complaint of workplace harassment is kept confidential, and not disclosed unless the disclosure is necessary for the purposes of investigating, taking corrective action, or as required by law;
• Additional options for an employee to report complaints of workplace harassment are identified, including directly contacting the Diversity and Human Rights Department if the alleged harasser is the employee’s supervisor. This change has been made to ensure that the alleged harasser does not have influence or control over the investigation;
• The complainant and alleged harasser (respondent) must be provided the results of the investigation in writing, and the corrective action that has or will be taken; and,
• The Respect and Dignity Policy will be reviewed on an annual basis in consultation with the TTC’s Joint Health and Safety Committees.

The revised Respect and Dignity Policy (10.1.3 Respect and Dignity) can also be found on the TTC intranet (see TTC Policy and Instruction Manual link on the homepage).

Hard copies of this notice and revised Policy will be distributed to each work location, and must be posted on all Safety Bulletin Boards for employees to review. Additional information on these Policy changes, including e-learning, pamphlets and supervisory talking points for safety meetings will be provided. Details on this training rollout will be provided shortly.

If you have any questions about the TTC’s updated Respect and Dignity Policy, please do not hesitate to contact any of the Diversity and Human Rights staff:

Valerie Albanese, ext. 6625 or valerie.albanese@ttc.ca
Olivia Laskarzewski, ext. 6602 or olivia.laskarzewski@ttc.ca
Almerinda Amaral, ext. 6788 or almerinda.amaral@ttc.ca
Andrea Jelly, ext. 6627 or andrea.jelly@ttc.ca
Lauren Jones, ext. 6075 or lauren.jones@ttc.ca
Nitin Pardal, ext. 4102 or nitin.pardal@ttc.ca
Mark Van Droffelaar, ext. 8332 or mark.vandroffelaar@ttc.ca
Karen Kuzmowich, ext. 1624 or karen.kuzmowich@ttc.ca
Vivian Wei, ext. 2869 or vivian.wei@ttc.ca

What is workplace harassment?

Engaging in a course of vexatious comment or conduct against an individual in a workplace that is known, or ought reasonably to be known, to be unwelcome, and can involve a course of conduct or a single serious incident.

What is workplace sexual harassment?

Workplace sexual harassment is:

• Engaging in a course of vexatious comment or conduct against an individual in a workplace because of sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression, where the course of comment or conduct is known or ought to be known to be unwelcome; or 
• Making a sexual solicitation or advance where the person making the solicitation or advance is in a position to confer, grant or deny a benefit or advancement to the individual and the person knows or ought reasonably to know that the solicitation is unwelcome.

Examples of sexual harassment include:

• Sexually suggestive remarks or gestures.
• Sexual leering at a person’s body.
• Asking for hugs.
• Unwelcome physical contact.
• Bragging or discussing sexual activities.
• Objectifying images (pin-up calendar).
• Sexist jokes, cartoons or pornographic images.
• Sexual innuendos.
• Gossip about someone’s gender, sexual orientation, etc.