30 - Sunday, February 28, 1993 - North Shore News

HELP’S AT Hand, by North
Shore Community Services
(NSCS), is a forum for discussing
government policies and pro-
grams, benefits, consumer and
legal rights, taxation and public
services.

Answers are intended only as a
general guide and should not be
applied to individual cases without
further consultation.

Question: Iowa a small com-
pany and employ about a dozes
people —- including both men and
women. Latcly there bas been a
lot of talk in the media about
harassment and I have to say that
it makes me nervous. - :

My staff has worked together
for a long time and we often joke
with exch other. I wonder some-
times if our behavior could be
considered harassment.

‘Can you explain this offence to
me, and tell me what my respon-
sibilities are as an employer?

Answer: The Caradian Human
Rights. -Commissicn .(CHRC)
defines -harassment as ‘“‘any
unwelcome. physical, visual or
verbal contact..-It may include
verbal or practical jokes, insults,
threats, personal comments or in-
nuendo. It may take the form of
posters, pictures or,. graffiti. It.
may -involive : touching, stroking,

_ pushing, pinching or any
unwelcome © physical contact, in-
cluding - physical assault.
Unwelcome sexual acts, comments
or propositions are harassment.”

If you are feeling uncomfort-
:able-about certain staff. behavior,

Wear the yellow
ribbon and dress

the sporty part.

on March 5th,
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. RIBBONS ARE AVAILABLE AT:

Hyou work at any of these five
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’ purchase your Ribbon at work..
* Alexander Holburn Beaudin & Lang
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Canada Wide Magazines
Canadian Airlines International
Centennial Foodservices
Coopers & Lybrand
Davis & Co. .
Farris Vaughan Wills & Murphy
Fraser & Co,
Gray Beverage
Hotel Vancouver
Intercity Packers
‘Kitkiand & Rose
-Ladner Downs ;

Lawson Lundell Lawson & Mcintosh*

Lignum Lid.

Liquor Distribution Branch
MacMillan Bioedel Ltd.

‘Maple Ridge Parks & Recreation
Marsh & McLennan Ltd.

Mark Anthony Group, Inc.
McKim Baker Lovick .
Municipality of Burnaby

Nike Canada Ltd.

Overwaitea Foods

Pee’ ‘Aarwick Thorne

Price Waterhouse :

REC Dorninion Securities Pemberton’

RCMP
Richards Buell Sulton
YMCA

you may want to ask yourself if
the behavior insults or intimidates
anyone.

You might have to alter your
perspective to see it through
another’s eyes; a cartoon or joke
that is considered humorous to
some people could be offensive or
intimidating to, say, a woman or.
person of color.

If you, as an employer or as a
provider of goods. and services,
have done everything possible to
provide an environment free . of
harassment, and you react quickly
and appropriately to any harass-
ment complaints you hear, you
will not be heid responsible for
the harassment.

The CHRC has outlined three
principles that should guide you in
dealing with. harassmeat in the

workplace. They are: prevention, .

action, and correction. We will

_ describe each one briefly.

You can act to prevent harass-
ment by secing that there aze no
derogatory posters in the
workplace; that comments or
jokes that insult others are knowo
by all employees to be unaccep-
table; all staff are educated about
what harassment consists of; you
havea clear and well-publicized
policy against harassment, which
includes names of people in your
organization who have been train-
ed to handle harassment com-
plaints; and there is a procedure
in place for dealing with com-

plaints.
Contact CHRC for information
on how to orient and/or. train

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SPORTSDAY ‘93

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staff in dealing with harassment

cases.

By taking these actions, you will
be sending a clear message to your
staff that harassment will not be
tolerated in your company.

If anyone involved in the con-
trol of your organization, such as
a supervisor or manager, Icarns
that harassment may be going on
and does nothing about it, the
organization may be considered to
have consented to the harassment.

The rule of thumb is that your

company must investigate any
claim of harassmeit to try to find
out what happened.

¥f it is discovered that harass-
ment has in fact taken place, you
must eusure that corrective
measures are taken.

These could include dealing
with the harasser with a written
reprimand, mandatory counselling
or even dismissal; compensating
the person who has been harassed;
ensuring the victim receives an
apology; or providing training on

human rights zo all staff.

If you wish further information
on harassment, you can contact
the Canadian Human Rights
Commission at #600-609 "West
Hastings St., Vancouver, “B.C.
V6B 4W4, (604) 006-2251. ~

They can also help those who—
believe they have been harassed.

This column is prepared with
financial. assistance from the
Notary Foundation. For miore in-
formaticn call NSCS at 9&5-7138.

Church aligns with NACC

DISTURBED BY many recent
developments within. the United
Church of Canada, North Lons-
dale United Church recently voted
to join the National Alliance of
Covenanting Congregations

(NACC).

Over the past several years,
many believe that the United
Church of Canada has been inap-
propriately changing its position
on a number of issues of the
faith, including such fundamentals
as the divine nature of Christ, the
centrality of His position in the

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church, and the authority that
should be assigned to scripture.

There is also the perczption that
the courts of the United Church
are failing io heed the desires and
concerns of its wider membership.

The NACC is one of. several
renewal movements within the
United Church which strive to
maintain an orthodox view of the
faith.

It reaffirms the articles of faith
upon which the United Church
was founded and provides a
mechanism for traditionally mind-
ed congregations to engage in

Mon-Wed. 10a.m-Sp.in.
Thurs. & Fri. 16a.m-9p.m.
Sat. 10a.m-tam.
Sun. Noon - 5p.m.

PNAC: Bh

4
3
&

mutua] support, and to exert a
More cohesive influence within the | -
United Church of Canada. :
There are serious concerns °
about . declining . membershi
within the United Church. 5 - -
It is believed that congregations...
within the NACC will provide a ~.
home for some United ‘Church...
members who feel alienated by. ~
current. trends and policies: within :
the national church. L :
Please contact Rev.. Dr.» Don.
Faris or Don Blackadar (board
chair) for further information, at*
985-4911. Sh,