Job and workplace
Harassment at work
You can start this on your own. The steps below show how.
Every organisation must have an inquiry committee for harassment complaints. You can complain to that committee, or go straight to the Ombudsperson for harassment, federal or provincial. You do not need a lawyer to file, and the process is meant to be confidential.
The law
Protection against Harassment of Women at the Workplace Act 2010 (amended 2022), and provincial versions
What to do
- 1
Write down each incident: date, place, what was said or done, and who saw it.
- 2
Keep messages, emails and call logs. Do not delete them.
- 3
Submit a written complaint to your organisation's inquiry committee, or file directly with the Ombudsperson.
- 4
If you are punished for complaining, tell the committee or the Ombudsperson; that is also protected.
Keep these ready
- Your written record of incidents
- Messages, emails or recordings
- Names of witnesses
- Your appointment letter or employee card
When to get a lawyer
Get a lawyer if you are dismissed, an appeal is needed, or there is physical assault (which is also a crime).
- Cost
- Filing with the Ombudsperson is free
General information, not legal advice. Checked against public sources in 2026. Laws and procedures change, and local practice differs between districts.