Anti-harassment Policy

Pleasure Dome is committed to fostering a harassment-free workplace where all employees and board members are treated with respect and dignity.

The Canadian Human Rights Act protects employees and board members from harassment based on race, national or ethnic origin, colour, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, family status, disability or pardoned conviction.

Harassment at Pleasure Dome is not tolerated. Employees, audience members or board members who are found to have harassed another individual may be subject to disciplinary action. This includes any person who: interferes with the resolution of a harassment complaint; retaliates against an individual for filing a harassment complaint; or files an unfounded harassment complaint intended to cause harm.

This policy applies to all current employees and board members of Pleasure Dome including full and part-time, casual, contract, permanent and temporary employees.

This policy applies to all behaviour that is in some way connected to work, including during off-site meetings, training and on business trips.

Harassment is:

• humiliating someone physically or verbally;
• threatening or intimidating someone; or
• making unwelcome jokes or comments about someone’s race, national or ethnic origin, colour, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, family status, disability or pardoned conviction.

Sexual harassment is:

• offensive or humiliating behaviour that is related to a person’s sex;
• behaviour of a sexual nature that creates an intimidating, unwelcome,hostile or offensive work environment; or
• behaviour of a sexual nature that could reasonably be thought to put sexual conditions on a person’s job or employment opportunities.

Pleasure Dome is responsible for:

• providing all employees and board members a harassment-free workplace.
• ensuring that this policy is applied in a timely, consistent and confidential manner;
• determining whether or not allegations of harassment are substantiated; and
• determining what corrective action is appropriate where a harassment complaint has been substantiated.

Pleasure Dome’s employees and board members are responsible for:

• the administration of this policy;
• reviewing this policy annually, or as required; and
• making necessary adjustments to ensure that this policy meets the needs of the organization.

Board members are responsible for:

• fostering a harassment-free work environment and setting an example about appropriate workplace behaviour;
• communicating the process for investigating and resolving harassment complaints made by employees or board members
• dealing with harassment situations immediately upon becoming aware of them, whether or not a harassment complaint has been made;
• taking appropriate action during a harassment investigation, including separating the parties to the harassment complaint, when appropriate; and ensuring harassment situations are dealt with in a sensitive and confidential manner.

Employees are responsible for:

• reporting harassment to the board of directors;
• cooperating with any harassment investigations.

Employees can expect:

• to be treated with respect in the workplace;
• that reported harassment will be dealt with in a timely, confidential and effective manner;
• to have their rights to a fair process and to confidentiality respected during a harassment investigation; and
• to be protected against retaliation for reporting harassment or cooperating with a harassment investigation.

Filing a Complaint

An employee or a board member may file a harassment complaint by contacting the board of directors. The complaint may be verbal or in writing. If the complaint is made verbally, the board of directors will record the details provided by the individual.

The employee or board member or member should be prepared to provide details such as to what happened; when it happened; where it happened; how often and who else was present (if applicable).

Complaints should be made as soon as possible but no later than within one year of the last incident of perceived harassment, unless there are circumstances that prevented the employee, board member or member from doing so.

Every effort will be made to resolve harassment complaints within 30 days. The board of directors will advise both parties of the reasons why, if this is not possible.

Investigation

If mediation is inappropriate or does not resolve the issue, a harassment investigation will be conducted. All investigations will be handled by the board or a committee of the board or a board member. The investigator will interview the person who made the complaint, the person the complaint was made against and any witnesses that have been identified. All people who are interviewed will have the right to review their statement, as recorded by the investigator, to ensure its accuracy.

The investigator will prepare a report that will include:

• a description of the allegations;
• the response of the person the complaint was made against;
• a summary of information learned from witnesses (if applicable); and
• a decision about whether, on a balance of probabilities, harassment did occur.

This report will be submitted to the board of directors. Both parties to the complaint will be given a copy.

Substantiated Complaint

If a harassment complaint is substantiated, the board of directors will decide what action is appropriate.

Remedies for the employee or board member who was harassed may include: an oral or written apology; compensation for lost wages; compensation for any lost employment benefits such as sick leave; and compensation for hurt feelings.

Corrective action for the person found to have engaged in harassment may include: a reprimand; a suspension of membership; a ban from attending events. Both parties to the complaint will be advised, in writing, of the decision.

Other Redress

An employee or board member who is not satisfied with the outcome of the harassment complaint process may file a discrimination complaint with the Canadian Human Rights Commission.

Privacy and Confidentiality

All parties to a harassment complaint are expected to respect the privacy and confidentiality of all other parties involved and to limit the discussion of a harassment complaint to those that need to know.

Pleasure Dome will review this policy and procedures on an annual basis, or as required, and will make necessary adjustments to ensure that it meets the needs of all employees.

Enquiries about this policy and related procedures can be made to the employee or the board of directors.