Responding to assaults or threats of harm

Important Notice !

Bill C-65, an Act to amend the Canada Labour Code and protect employees from harassment and violence in federal workplaces, came into force on January 1, 2021.

The content on this page may not reflect the most up to date information during the transition to the new regulatory framework.

For the latest information, employees and managers are encouraged to contact the Harassment and Violence Centre of Expertise (HVCE).

Anytime there is an incident of workplace violence the focus should always be on employee safety. The response to an incident may differ slightly due the unique circumstances of that particular incident, but the information below details the process to generally be followed.

    • Employees

      1. Notify

        Follow local emergency procedures, including calling Security, and if necessary, the police.

      2. Report

        Report any incidents of assault or threats to your manager or supervisor, or in the event of a conflict, any other manager or team leader.

      3. Document

        Documenting all events, including time, date, names, and witnesses of the alleged incident.

      4. Cooperate

        Cooperate in the investigation and resolution of incident. During this process employees may:

        1. Consult their union or a third party representative, if appropriate.

        2. Request support/assistance from the Employee Assistance Program (EAP), if required

        3. Request support/assistance from the Office of Informal Conflict Management (OICM), if appropriate ***Only for internal incidents***

    • Managers and Supervisors

      1. Ensure safety of employees and themselves

        Assess the situation and, if safe to do so, attempt to diffuse the situation.

      2. Notify

        Report the incident to security, and if necessary the police, in accordance with local workplace emergency notification procedures.

      3. Gather information

        Gather information from the parties and witnesses regarding the incident, and in doing so, keep detailed notes.

        Support Security in their investigation, if required.

      4. Resolve

        Examine the situation and try to resolve it as soon as possible. To “resolve” and incident means to bring about changes that will ensure similar incidents do not occur in the future.

        For incidents where there are no immediate measures of resolution, analyze the circumstances of the incident and determine what further actions may be required. In doing so, you may:

        1. seek advice and guidance from other subject matter experts (such as, the WHSC or HSR, the RSO, Labour Relations Advisor and/or Informal Conflict Management Advisor), as necessary; and

        2. request mediation or facilitation support, if appropriate.

      5. Complete reports

        Complete and submit the following reports:

      6. Provide reports

        Provide a copy of the LAB1070 to the Workplace Health and Safety Committee or the Health and Safety Representative. Any information being provided must be reviewed by the ATIP Division to ensure that no information is inappropriately disclosed.

      7. Preventive Measures

        Implement any further preventive measures to ensure similar incidents do not occur in the future.

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