HARASSMENT POLICY
The definition of “harassment” varies depending on where you are. In most places you will find some lee-way given to talk back, questions, and suggestions, but no workplace will tolerate verbal aggression, outright refusals to comply with staff, or insulting or haranguing staff. The Denman Waste Management Committee that manages the recycling centre, bottle depot and free store agrees that those behaviours constitute harassment.
Recently, a few people have been harassing staff at the recycling centre, motivating the Waste Management Committee to write and implement a harassment policy. In the policy, prohibited behaviour includes any action, conduct, comment, gesture or contact likely to cause intimidation, offence, embarrassment or humiliation. It includes verbal aggression, derogatory name calling, threats, physical violence, and / or yelling.
It includes any inappropriate conduct or comment and can include verbal, visual or physical misconduct. It is any objectionable act, comment or display that demeans or belittles.
The policy includes penalties for harassment, as follows. For the first infraction, you will be told to leave the waste management facilities immediately.
For the second infraction, you will be banned from the recycling centre, bottle depot and free store for six months.
And, for the third infraction, a permanent ban will result.
These facilities are high stress to work in. The workplace has loud machines, sharp objects, and household hazardous waste. Staff for the most part have non-stop and busy interaction with the public. It’s cold in the winter and hot in the summer. Staff lift and move heavy containers, and sometimes encounter messy and sticky odorous garbage and contaminated recyclables. They must meticulously sort acceptable vs non-acceptable recyclables. There is a potential for serious accidents.
Staff welcome dialogue, questions and yes, even suggestions as to how to run things better. But please: express yourself with respect and friendliness. Do not cross that line into harassment, aggression and bullying.
