Policy:

  1. The Galiano Club is committed to providing a respectful workplace in which all individuals are treated with respect and dignity. Violence, bullying and harassment will not be tolerated.
  2. All employees, directors, officers, volunteers and members of the Galiano Club are required to abide by this policy.

Definitions:

“A person” includes a director, a supervisor, an employee, a contractor or a volunteer.

“Violence” is the unlawful exercise of physical force or intimidation by the exhibition of such force.

“Bullying and harassment” includes any inappropriate conduct or comment by a person to another person that the person knew or reasonably ought to have known would cause that person to be humiliated or intimidated. The following are some examples of conduct or comments that may constitute bullying and harassment is taking place:

  • verbal or written threats, abuse or insults;
  • calling someone derogatory names;
  • vandalizing personal belongings;
  • sabotaging someone’s work product;
  • spreading malicious gossip or rumours;
  • making personal attacks based on someone’s private life and/or personal characteristics;
  • practical jokes which cause awkwardness or embarrassment, endanger a person’s safety or negatively affects their performance;
  • unwelcome sexual remarks, invitations or requests; persistent, unwanted contact after the end of a sexual relationship; repeated unwelcome invitations to socialize;
  • displays of sexually explicit, sexist, racist or other offensive or derogatory material; or
  • making aggressive or threatening gestures

Procedures

Roles and Responsibilities:

Galiano Club as Employer and Service Provider:

  • Shall foster a respectful workplace free from violence, bullying and harassment.
  • Implement training programs for supervisors, employee and volunteers to enable them recognize the potential for violence, bullying and harassment in the workplace.
  • In all incidents involving violence, the response is to call the police.
  • Implement fair procedures for responding to complaints of bullying and harassment. The procedures must ensure a reasonable response to the complaint.
  • To have in place remedies aimed at addressing the complaint of bullying and harassment and ensure that it is prevented in the future.
  • The Galiano Club will take all necessary steps to ensure that this policy is consistent with the provisions of WorkSafe’s policy on harassment and bullying.
  • The Galiano Club will review this policy on a regular basis, and not less than once every 2 (two) years to ensure that it complies with all relevant legislation and WorkSafe requirements.

Supervisor(s):

  • Shall not engage in violence, bullying and harassment.
  • Shall comply with this policy and follow the procedures set below in the resolution of any complaint of bullying and harassment.
  • Foster a respectful work environment, free of violence, bullying and harassment.
  • Deal with inappropriate behaviour, including violence, bullying and harassment, immediately on becoming aware of the behaviour, whether or not a complaint and been made.

Employees, Directors, Members of the Society and Volunteers:

  • Shall not engage in violence, bullying and harassment.
  • Immediately report if violence, bullying and harassment is experienced.
  • Comply with this policy and procedures set out herein.
  • Cooperate with investigators, including providing any details of acts of violence, bullying or harassment they have experienced or witnessed. When possible and if appropriate keep notes of the conduct at issue.

General:

  • The Complaints policy of the Galiano Club will be followed for the resolution of issues under this policy.
  • The purpose of the Human Rights Code of British Columbia is to prevent discrimination in employment and/or services.  The Code protects individuals from discrimination based on certain protected grounds or characteristics.Nothing in this policy prevents a person from filing a complaint under the Code, if that person believes that they have been the subject of discriminatory conduct.
  • Any reasonable action taken by the Galiano Club and or the Executive Director relating to the management and direction of the work or work organization does not constitute bullying or harassment under this Policy.
  • The Galiano Club retains the right to ban any member of the public from one or more of its activities and/or programs if, in its opinion, the actions of that individual constitutes violence, bullying or harassment or other substantive concerns. The ban will be for a minimum of 1 (one) year unless the Board of Directors determines otherwise. The person affected by the ban may apply to have the ban lifted after a period of 6 (six) months.
  • Intent does not determine whether the behaviour at issue is violence, bullying and harassment. A person cannot excuse their behaviour by saying he or she did not intend it to be humiliating or intimidating.
  • Some conduct may constitute a criminal offence.  Examples of such conduct may include assault or stalking. Where there is reason to believe a criminal offence may have occurred, the person subject to the conduct should notify the police and will be encouraged to do so by the Galiano Club. Any Galiano Club investigation would be coordinated to avoid jeopardizing a police investigation.
  • Not all inappropriate, offensive, or disrespectful conduct is bullying and harassment. The behaviour must be humiliating or intimidating to be considered bullying and harassment. The determination of whether the behaviour constitutes bullying or harassment is from the perspective of the person who is the subject of conduct.

Approved: October 2024