Both the Employer and the Association considers sexual and personal harassment to be reprehensible and are committed to maintaining an environment in which sexual and personal harassment do not exist.
The Employer and the Association recognize the right of employees to work in an environment free from sexual and personal harassment and the parties shall undertake to investigate alleged occurrences with a11 possible dispatch. H sexual harassment or persona] harassment of a bargaining unit member has taken place, the Employer shall take appropriate action to ensure that sexual or personal harassment ceases. The victim shall be protected from repercussions which may result from his/her complaint.
Sexual harassment is comprised of sexual comments, gestures or physical contact that the individual knows, or ought reasonably to know, to be unwelcome, objectionable or offensive. The behaviour may be on a one time basis or a series of incidents, however minor. It is unsolicited, one-sided and/or coercive. Both males and females may be the victim of sexual harassment. Sexual harassment may involve favours, or promises of favours, or advantages in return for submission to sexual advances, or alternatively, the threat of reprisal for refusal. Sexual harassment can be expressed in a number of ways which may include:
- unnecessary touching or patting;
- suggestive remarks or other sexually aggressive remarks;
- leering (suggestive staring) at a person’s body;
- demand for sexual favours;
- compromising invitations;
- physical assaults.
Personal harassment is any behaviour by any person in the workplace that is directed at. or is offensive to, an employee, endangers an employee’s job or academic standing. undermines the performance of that job or threatens the economic live1ihood or academic standing of the employee. Personal harassment also occurs when an individual uses his/her authority or position. with its implicit power to undermine. sabotage or otherwise interfere with the career of another employee. Personal harassment may be defined as repeated, intentional. offensive comments or actions deliberately designed to demean an individual. or to cause personal humiliation. The definition includes such blatant acts of misuse of power as intimidation. blackmail and/or coercion.