Harassment is not new. What is new is a growing awareness of this serious problem in the workplace. Harassment can prove costly to employers through lost productivity, lost time through stress-related illnesses, frequent staff turnover and lowered staff morale. Employers are legally responsible for actively discouraging and prohibiting humiliating conduct or language that results in one employee s working conditions being less favourable than another s. This is a form of discrimination under the Human Rights, Citizenship and Multiculturalism Act on the grounds of gender.
Sexual harassment is unwelcome sexual conduct.
It includes any of the harassment examples listed above which are of a sexual nature. While sexual harassment can happen to either gender, most of its victims are women. Due to confidentiality concerns, the Commission cannot reply to complaints of discrimination using the Internet. Please contact the Commission by telephone or regular mail if you have a specific complaint. Alberta Human Rights and Citizenship Commission.