leadership matters
Employment Law
WHAT’S NEW – SO WHAT?
As an HR professional, are you aware of the
Ontario Government’s new Action Plan to
Combat Sexual Violence and Harassment?
If not, read on.
Introduced earlier this year by Ontario premier
Kathleen Wynne after a rash of unwelcome sexual harassment
news including the CBC Ghomeshi affair
and reports of abuse in the military, the plan promises
to strengthen laws so workplaces are free from
sexual violence and harassment. Within three years,
the government will introduce legislation to amend
the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA) to
include a definition of sexual harassment, plus clear
requirements for employers to investigate and address
workplace sexual harassment complaints.
A good place to start learning is in this month’s
cover feature, which includes some great advice from
employment lawyers on how to identify, deal with and
prevent workplace harassment.
This topic is timely as it helps to spotlight the
Human Resources Professionals Association
(HRPA)’s new jurisprudence requirements for the
CHRP/CHRL designations.
While employment law has always been a big part
of being an HR professional (HRPA’s employment
law education and resources have always been a part
of the association’s biggest professional development
sessions), practical knowledge of the law is about to
become a mandatory requirement for earning and
maintaining your designations.
By Brenda Clark, CHRE
Voyagerix/Shutterstock.com
WITHIN THREE YEARS,
THE GOVERNMENT
WILL INTRODUCE
LEGISLATION TO AMEND
THE OCCUPATIONAL
HEALTH AND SAFETY
ACT TO INCLUDE A
DEFINITION OF SEXUAL
HARASSMENT, PLUS
CLEAR REQUIREMENTS
FOR EMPLOYERS TO
INVESTIGATE AND
ADDRESS WORKPLACE
SEXUAL HARASSMENT
COMPLAINTS.
HRPATODAY.CA ❚ OCTOBER 2015 ❚ 7