Federal Post
Federal Government Reminds Federally Regulated Employers About Harassment and Violence Policy Compliance
Date: January 16, 2026
On January 15, 2026, the Labour Program under Employment and Social Development Canada issued an email intended to remind federally regulated employers about requirements under the Canada Labour Code (Code) and the Work Place Harassment and Violence Prevention Regulations (Regulations) regarding their workplace harassment and violence prevention policies.
The Code defines “harassment and violence” as “any action, conduct or comment, including of a sexual nature, that can reasonably be expected to cause offence, humiliation or other physical or psychological injury or illness to an employee, including any prescribed action, conduct or comment.”
In the reminder, the federal government emphasized:
- the importance of communicating the policy clearly and well to foster safety and respect in the workplace, and to ensure that everyone is aware of their roles, and available supports; and
- that unresolved conflict can lead to decreased morale and harm employees’ mental and physical health.
The reminder provided the following information:
What the Policy Must Include to Achieve Compliance
- employers’ and employees’ roles and responsibilities;
- designated recipients;
- a clear definition of harassment and violence with examples;
- a process for reporting and responding to incidents;
- steps for resolving occurrences, including formal resolution, conciliation, and investigation;
- measures to protect the privacy of those involved;
- support measures available to employees affected by harassment or violence; and
- a commitment to prevention, including training and risk assessments.
How the Policy Must Be Developed and by Whom
Jointly with:
- the health and safety representative (if the organization has up to 19 employees);
- the workplace health and safety committee (if the organization has 20 to 299 employees); and
- the policy committee (if the organization has 300 or more employees).
Who the Policy Applies To
- all employees (full-time, part-time, and temporary);
- contract workers; and
- third parties (e.g., clients, customers, or members of the public), provided the incident occurs in the work context.
Potential Consequences of Failure to Comply With the Regulations
- inspections;
- corrective actions; and
- compliance actions, including monetary penalties from the Labour Program.
Guidance, Examples, Tools and Templates
Finally, federally regulated employers were reminded of the availability of guidance, examples, tools and templates here.
It’s important to note that the Labour Program’s email does not create any new obligations for employers, nor have there been any recent changes to the Code or the Regulations regarding employers’ obligations to address work place harassment and violence.
The email is, however, a timely reminder to federally regulated employers, at this early stage of the new year, of their ongoing compliance obligations under the Code. It is a good occasion to assess whether your organization needs to review and update its policies and procedures to ensure that it continues to satisfy its obligations under the Code and the Regulations.
Please contact your Hicks Morley lawyer if you have any questions or would like any assistance in ensuring your organization’s compliance with its Code obligations.
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