What Supervisors Need to Know about Workplace Bullying and Harassment

This section deals with the duties that supervisors have under the B.C. Workers Compensation Act, and what they can do to prevent and address workplace bullying and harassment.

Duties of supervisors

It is the duty of every supervisor to protect the health and safety of all workers under their direct supervision, and to understand all of the laws and regulations that apply to the work being supervised.

According to WorkSafeBC, the duties of supervisors in relation to workplace bullying and harassment are the following:

• Avoid taking part in bullying and harassment of anyone you come into contact with at the workplace. This includes coworkers, other supervisors and employers. It also includes anyone else who happens to be at the workplace, such as a client, a member of the public, or someone acting on the employer’s behalf.
• If you experience bullying and harassment, or if you see it happening, you must report it.
• Know what the employer’s policies are on workplace bullying and harassment, and follow those policies.

What if I have questions?

WorkSafeBC’s website on bullying and harassment has a tool kit of resources that provide practical tips and information for supervisors. Look at the fact sheet for supervisors at www2.worksafebc.com/PDFs/Bullying/BullyingHarassmentSupervisor.pdf. You can also use the tool kit’s handbook Towards a Respectful Workplace to learn more about bullying and harassment, how to recognize it, and what you can do about it.

If you need more information about workplace bullying and harassment call the WorkSafeBC Prevention information line for help.

Lower Mainland 604.276.3100
Within B.C. 1.888.621.7233

This information applies to British Columbia, Canada. Last reviewed for legal accuracy by People's Law School, 2014.

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