Preventing workplace harassment: engagement

The Government of Nova Scotia is looking for your help to improve workplace health and safety. It’s important that workers have safe, fair and healthy workplaces that are respectful and free from harassment. Share your feedback on how to prevent and address workplace harassment.

About the engagement

The Occupational Health and Safety Act and regulations consider physical injuries in the workplace, but they don’t clearly consider psychological injuries like harassment in the workplace.

Government is starting to develop guidance for workplaces to help prevent and manage harassment at work.

Nova Scotians are invited to share feedback on how to better prevent and address workplace harassment.

Get informed

To help you share your feedback and ideas, government is using the definitions of harassment from the Human Rights Act and the Nova Scotia Human Rights Commission.

The Human Rights Act and the Nova Scotia Human Rights Commission define harassment as “a course of vexatious conduct or comment that is known or ought reasonably to be known to be unwelcome”.

The Nova Scotia Human Rights Commission also defines that “harassment can involve any unwanted physical or verbal behavior or treatment that is demeaning, disrespectful, offensive or humiliating”.

Learn more: Preventing Harassment in the Workplace - Engagement Guide (PDF)

How to participate

You can participate by taking a survey or attending an engagement session.

Take the survey

Provide your feedback through the online survey by 10 December 2023.

Start now

Attend an engagement session

Government is hosting a series of in-person and virtual engagement sessions. The following sessions are open to workers and employers.

Date and time	Community	Venue	Registration
14 November 2023 5:00 pm to 6:15 pm	Sydney	Centre 200 481 George Street	Register
15 November 2023 5:00 pm to 6:15 pm	New Glasgow	Summer Street Industries 72 Park Street	Register
16 November 2023 5:00 pm to 6:15 pm	Amherst	Nova Scotia Works CANSA 63 Victoria Street East	Register
17 November 2023 9:00 am to 10:15 am	--	Online	Register
20 November 2023 1:00 pm to 2:15 pm	--	Online	Register
20 November 2023 5:00 pm to 6:15 pm	Bridgewater	Lunenburg County Lifestyle Centre 135 North Park Street	Register
21 November 2023 5:00 pm to 6:15 pm	Yarmouth	Mariners on Main 275 Main Street	Register
22 November 2023 5:00 pm to 6:15 pm	Digby	Fundy Complex 34 Water Street	Register
23 November 2023 5:00 pm to 6:15 pm	New Minas	Louis Millett Community Complex 9489 Commercial Street	Register
27 November 2023 1:00 pm to 2:15 pm	--	Online	Register
28 November 2023 5:00 pm to 6:15 pm	Truro	Douglas Street Recreation Centre 40 Douglas Street	Register
29 November 2023 5:00 pm to 6:15 pm	Halifax	Canada Games Centre 26 Thomas Raddall Drive	Register
30 November 2023 5:00 pm to 6:15 pm	Dartmouth	Zatzman Sportsplex 110 Wyse Road	Register
1 December 2023 9:00 am to 10:15 am	--	Online	Register
5 December 2023 5:00 pm to 6:15 pm	Port Hawkesbury	Port Hawkesbury Civic Centre 606 Reeves Street	Register
6 December 2023 1:00 pm to 2:15 pm	--	Online	Register
8 December 2023 9:00 am to 10:15 am	--	Online	Register

Next steps

A summary of feedback will be published after the engagement period. Feedback will be reviewed by government and help develop guidance for workplaces to help prevent and manage harassment in the workplace.

More information about the engagement

You can send questions about the preventing workplace harassment engagement to safetyengagement@novascotia.ca.

Contact

Department of Labour, Skills and Immigration
Preventing workplace harassment engagement
safetyengagement@novascotia.ca

Related legislation

Occupational Health and Safety Act (PDF)