Overview of Workplace Harassment Policy

What is this document?

This document specifies a company’s policy about harassment in the workplace.

When would I use this document?

This policy can be used by companies that would like a policy in place to handle workplace harassment. This document outlines what constitutes harassment, and employee and supervisor responsibilities if they see or are subject to harassment.

Who signs this Agreement?

A Workplace Harassment Policy is signed by the employee and an individual who can bind the corporation. This could also be signed by the employee and the employee’s supervisor/employer, or included by reference in the employment agreement.

More details about this document

This policy will define who the policy applies to. Companies often have this apply to everyone in the company including supervisors and managers. It can be important to define what constitutes as harassment so it is clear to everyone in the company. This can include such things as degrading comments, gestures or jokes that demean an individual or a group of people, dissemination of derogatory or offensive cartoons, pictures or posters, intimidation, threats or coercion, bullying, demeaning or degrading pranks or practical jokes, and unwelcome physical contact.

These policies may also include reference to sexual harassment which is a specific form of harassment and includes unwelcome conduct such as sexual advances or flirtations, propositions or invitations for sexual favours, intentional physical contact or suggestions or threats of such contact, use of offensive words of a sexual nature, unwelcome “suggestive” jokes or stories, conversations about sexual exploits or desires, and displaying or circulating sexually suggestive pictures, objects or representations of any action or subject that is sexual in nature.

Workplace harassment policies contain clauses dealing with procedures to follow if harassment occurs, and the consequences associated with the harassment.

What are the core elements of this document?

The core elements of a Workplace Harassment Policy include Definition of Harassment, Definition of Sexual Harassment, Employee Responsibilities, Supervisor Responsibilities and Termination.

Some additional clauses may include: Parties, Exceptions to Policy, and Background and Recitals.

Related Documents

  • Employment Agreement - an agreement that sets out the terms of an employment relationship.
  • Contractor/Consulting/Services Agreement - this type of agreement can have various names, and is used when a person is paid to provide services but is not hired as an employee. Payment can be flexible eg. money, shares or some other form of compensation.
  • Romantic Relations in the Workplace Policy - this policy deals with romantic relations in the workplace.
  • Drug and Alcohol Policy - this policy deals with drug and alcohol use in the workplace and the procedures to follow if unauthorized use is suspected.

Written by Rajah. Rajah Lehal is Founder and CEO of Clausehound.com. Rajah is a legal technologist and technology lawyer who is, together with the Clausehound team, capturing and sharing lawyer expertise, building deal negotiation libraries, teaching negotiation in classrooms, and automating negotiation with software.