Anti-Harassment Policy
Purpose
We are committed to maintaining a safe, respectful, and professional environment for our employees, dealers, contractors, partners, and representatives. Every person who interacts with our organization, whether by phone, email, chat, video conference, social media, or in person, has the right to do so without fear of abuse, harassment, or discrimination.
This policy defines the behaviours that will not be tolerated and outlines the actions our team may take to protect our employees.
Scope
This policy applies to all forms of communication with our organization, including but not limited to:
- Phone calls (inbound or outbound)
- Voicemail messages
- Email correspondence
- Text messages and live chat
- Video calls and online meetings
- Social media interactions or public posts referencing our company or staff
- In-person interactions at our offices, trade shows, installations, or customer sites
It applies to all individuals who engage with us, including dealers, customers, vendors, partners, members of the public, and any other third parties.
Our Commitment
We are committed to:
- Providing professional, courteous, and solution-oriented service.
- Protecting our team members from harassment, abuse, or inappropriate conduct.
- Taking reasonable steps to prevent repeated or escalating incidents.
Every employee has the right to end an interaction that violates this policy without fear of reprisal or negative impact on their role.
Unacceptable Behavior
1. Abusive, Threatening, Bullying or Intimidating Conduct
- Swearing, shouting, or using insulting, demeaning, or hostile language.
- Threats of violence, harm, or legal action used to intimidate staff.
- Aggressive tone, intimidation, or refusal to allow the representative to speak.
2. Harassment or Discrimination
- Any comment, joke, or statement based on protected grounds under the Canadian Human Rights Act or Ontario Human Rights Code, including race, colour, ancestry, ethnic origin, place of origin, citizenship, religion, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, marital or family status, or disability.
- Sexual or suggestive remarks, innuendo, or commentary about physical appearance.
- Disparaging or mocking statements targeting a person’s accent, background, or gender.
3. Personal or Invasive Behaviour
- Attempts to obtain personal contact information or details about an employee’s private life.
- Unsolicited personal messages or social media contact directed toward employees.
- Any action that could be perceived as stalking, monitoring, or contacting staff outside official business channels.
4. Repeated or Excessive Communication
- Repeated contact after being asked to stop or after an issue has been addressed.
- Using multiple channels (calls, emails, chats, social media) to continue complaints or abuse.
- Flooding inboxes, leaving excessive voicemails, or otherwise disrupting normal operations.
5. Defamatory or Malicious Conduct
- Making false, misleading, or damaging public statements about employees or the company.
- Posting or sharing confidential information, images, or recordings of employees without consent.
- Attempting to publicly shame or coerce the company through social or online harassment.
Response to Violations
If an individual engages in behaviour that violates this policy, the company may take one or more of the following actions:
- Verbal or Written Warning – The individual will be informed that their conduct is inappropriate and must stop.
- Ending the Interaction– Employees have full authority to terminate a phone call, meeting, or online conversation immediately if abuse continues.
- Restricted Communication– The company may limit future contact to written correspondence only, assign a single point of contact, or refuse non-essential communication.
- Suspension or Termination of Service– In serious or repeated cases, we may suspend, cancel, or decline to renew business relationships or service agreements.
- Legal Action or Law Enforcement Involvement– Threats of violence, harassment, or stalking will be documented and may be referred to law enforcement.
Employee Rights and Support
- Employees are not expected to tolerate harassment or abuse from anyone.
- They are empowered to disengage, end communication, or request supervisory assistance.
- All incidents will be documented and reviewed by management for appropriate follow-up.
- The company will provide support to any employee who experiences harassment, including debriefing, reporting assistance, and, if appropriate, time away to recover from the incident.