The University's Policy on Discrimination and Harassment

If you feel that you are being harassed:

• Say No: Whenever possible, tell the offending party that his or her behavior is unwelcome and that you want it to stop.
• Seek Help: Contact Discrimination and Harassment Prevention Services for a confidential consultation, or seek assistance from another University official.
• Keep a Record: Write down the details of incidents and how they were handled.

What is Harassment?

In Saskatchewan, under the Occupational Health and Safety Act, people have a right to healthy and safe work environments, free from harassment. The act includes two categories of harassment: Harassment Based on Prohibited Grounds and Personal Harassment.

Harassment based on prohibited grounds is defined as:

...any inappropriate conduct, comment, display, action or gesture that is repeated by a person OR any single, serious occurrence that has a lasting, harmful effect on the worker that:

• is made on the basis of race, creed, religion, colour, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, family status, disability, physical size or weight, age, nationality, ancestry or place of origin; and
• constitutes a threat to the health or safety of the worker.

Personal harassment is defined as:

...any inappropriate conduct, comment, display, action or gesture that is repeated by a person OR any single, serious occurrence that has a lasting, harmful effect on the worker that:

• adversely affects a worker's psychological or physical well being; and
• the perpetrator knows or ought to reasonably know would cause the worker to be humiliated or intimidated.

What is not Harassment?

• day-to-day management or supervisory decisions involving work assignments;
  
• job assessment and evaluation (feedback and dialogue regarding performance);
  
• workplace inspection;
  
• implementation of appropriate dress codes; and
  
• disciplinary action.
  

However, managerial action(s) must be carried out in a manner that is reasonable and not abusive.

Other situations that do not constitute harassment include:

• physical contact necessary for the performance of the work using accepted industry standards;
  
• conduct which all parties agree is inoffensive or welcome; and
  
• conflict or disagreements in the workplace that are not based on one of the prohibited grounds.

Prevention

Everyone can take action to help prevent discrimination and harassment.

• treat others with respect, even if you don't agree with their values or opinions.
• take action to resolve problems as early as possible.
• if you find someone's behavior problematic, let the person know how you feel and ask him or her to stop the behavior.
• be sensitive to the impact that you have on others and be willing to alter or eliminate problematic behaviors.
• consider apologizing if your actions have had a negative impact on someone.

The University's Discrimination and Harassment Prevention Policy

The University's Discrimination and Harassment Prevention Procedures