Day One: Tuesday, November 15, 2022
10:00 EST
15 minWelcome and Opening Remarks from the Chair
Catherine Lafontaine, Director, Talents and Culture, Employee Relations, Ubisoft
10:15 EST
45 minProvincial and Federal Legal Frameworks for Discrimination, Harassment and Violence Prevention & Response
- Varying definitions, interpretations and understanding of the challenge across Canada
- The growing importance of OHS legislation & regulations
- New Federal Harassment & Violence Prevention Regulation
- Investigation techniques and strategies
- Resolution options, preserving evidence and litigation
11:00 EST
45 minWorkplace Violence and Mental Health Accommodation
- The evolving definition of workplace violence
- The relationship between mental health and workplace violence
- Investigating potential threats
- The importance of employee “Perceived Personal Control”
- Determining when a comprehensive threat assessment is required
- Accommodating employees who have threatened violence
11:45 EST
45 minProtecting Employees and Responding to Cyber Bullying
Catherine Lafontaine, Director, Talents and Culture, Employee Relations, Ubisoft
- Definition of cyberbullying
- The evolving legal landscape
- Caselaw and employer liability
- Protecting employees from and responding to cyber bullying
- Prevalence of workplace cyber bullying
- Relevant statutes and regs
- Employer liability
- How employers defend
- Required policies
- Enforcement of policies
12:30 EST
60 minBreak
13:30 EST
45 minBystander Intervention: The First Line of Defense Against Harassment
Empower employees to be the first line of defence against harassment, bullying and violence in the workplace. How we respond to these situations sets the tone for what we will tolerate and deem as acceptable behaviour.
- The ‘Who’
- Definition of a Bystander
- Definition of Bystander Intervention
- Stigma Hesitation
- Reasons People Don’t Act
- The ‘Bystander Effect’
- Definition of the Bystander Effect
- Three Factors Influencing the Bystander Effect
- The Five ‘Ds’ of Bystander Intervention
- Harassment in the Workplace and Bystander Intervention
14:15 EST
45 minManaging Violence Risk in the Context of Investigations and the Challenge of Parallel Investigations
Stephen Hart, Protect International Risk and Safety Services Inc.
- Overview of professional responsibility to identify and respond to violence risk
- Definition of violence, violence risk assessment and violence risk management
- Examination of the challenge of parallel investigations triggered when violence occurs
- Discussion of four key principles for navigating the challenge of parallel investigations
- Suggested response and hierarchy for responding to violent incidents
15:00 EST
15 minBreak
15:15 EST
45 minDiversity, Equity and Inclusion Considerations in Discrimination and Harassment: Legal, Practical, Corporate Risk and Societal Perspectives
Courtney Betty, Lawyer, Speaker, and Diversity Strategist, Betty’s Law Office
Diversity and Equity are now a major focus for all organizations. Employees are now using legal remedies to address racism, discrimination, and harassment. Companies are now subject to human rights claims, class actions, or the use of social media to damage the reputation of a corporate brand, sometimes beyond repair. This presentation includes:
- Reviewing your organizational policies, practices and procedures to see if they create situations in your organization that might be considered discriminatory, harassing or bullying before they create legal damage
- Helping corporations identify diversity policies, practices or initiatives that might be considered as discriminatory, harassing or bullying
- Can or should microaggressions be considered harassment, bullying or discrimination?
16:00 EST
45 minAnti-Bullying and Harassment: Working Towards a Respectful Workplace
Nelson Onwuliri, Head of Human Resources Manager, Tsay Keh Dene Nation
- Why we need policies and procedures (our legal obligations)
- What is and what is not workplace bullying/harassment
- What to do about workplace bullying/harassment
- Training and educating managers, supervisors and employees about their obligations
- Looking beyond workplace bullying/harassment
16:45 EST
End of Day One
Day Two: Wednesday, November 16, 2022
10:00 EST
15 minWelcome and Opening Remarks from the Chair
Catherine Lafontaine, Director, Talents and Culture, Employee Relations, Ubisoft
10:15 EST
75 minEstablishing and Operating Threat Assessment Teams
Kelly A. Watt, Protect International Risk and Safety Services Inc.
- Overview of requirements, standards, and guidelines
- Examination of identified needs of threat assessment teams
- Discussion of major tensions faced by threat assessment teams
- Summary of goals, structures, process and outcomes of threat assessment teams
- Discussion of relevant case examples
11:30 EST
15 minBreak
11:45 EST
45 minTrauma Informed and Remote Investigation
Flora Vineberg, Workplace Investigator and Trainer, Rubin Thomlinson LLP
- Understanding trauma
- Definition of trauma informed approach to investigations
- Where is trauma informed investigation appropriate
- Considerations in selecting an investigator
- What employers need to know
12:30 EST
60 minBreak
13:30 EST
45 minEmployer Obligations to Address Domestic Violence in the Workplace: Tools and Training
- Recognition that abuse does not always stay at home, it also comes to work
- Employer obligations to prevent domestic violence and support workers affected by domestic violence
- Assessing risks of domestic abuse entering the workplace and having policies that specify action to address them
- Tools to help employers address domestic violence in the workplace
- Best practices for all workplaces
- The need to discuss domestic violence with confidence
- Responding to disclosures
14:15 EST
45 minConfidentiality: Who Has the Right to See What?
Elizabeth Bingham, Team Lead, Workplace Investigations, Rubin Thomlinson LLP
The Report is written. Labour and executive want to see it.
- What confidentiality rules apply?
- How can you manage expectations around confidentiality throughout the process?
- What do these parties need to know?
- How do you craft effective report summaries?
- Confidentiality issues when dealing with internal versus external investigators
15:00 EST
15 minBreak
15:15 EST
45 minHow Union and Management Can Work Together to Prevent, Manage and Resolve Complaints
Lee Anne Leo, HR Business Partner, Ornge (Air Ambulance)
Cate Moss, National Human Rights Coordinator, Unifor Local 2002
16:00 EST
60 minExpert Insights: Observations, Trends and the Future of Work
Moderator: Jennifer Mak, Human Rights and Equity Strategist
Dara Marcoccia, Director, Human Resources, Trillium Health Partners
Richard Sharpe, Director, Equity, Anti-racism, Diversity and Inclusion, Department of Justice Canada
Senior HR professionals will share their observations on key themes and trends in preventing discrimination, harassment, bullying and violence and creating a fair, just and diverse workforce. You will leave inspired and ready to implement new ideas and strategies to achieve your goals in the year ahead.
- What are some key challenges and barriers that you’re experiencing in your work to eliminate discrimination, harassment, and violence and what have you been doing to tackle such challenges?
- What roles do equity and human rights play in creating and maintaining workplaces that are fair, just, diverse, and free from discrimination, harassment, and violence?
- What are some of your key goals and strategies in the upcoming year and how will the future of work influence the ways in which you prevent discrimination, harassment, and violence?
17:00 EST
End of Day Two