BC Workplace Bullying and Harassment Policy: A Plain-English Employer Guide for 2026

Learn B.C. workplace bullying and harassment policy duties, investigations and annual reviews. Download the free British Columbia template.

Overview

Every British Columbia employer needs a working system for preventing and responding to workplace bullying and harassment. A short statement saying “we do not tolerate harassment” is not enough. WorkSafeBC expects employers to develop a policy statement, prevent or minimize the hazard, establish reporting and investigation procedures, train workers and supervisors, follow up after investigations, keep records and review the system every year.

This guide explains those requirements in plain English. It is built around Canada Policy Manual's detailed British Columbia template and focuses on what an employer must do before, during and after a workplace bullying or harassment report.

Ready to put the B.C. program into practice?

Start with the jurisdiction-specific policy and program template, then replace every placeholder with your workplace details.

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Quick answer: what does a B.C. employer need?

Under the occupational health and safety provisions of the Workers Compensation Act and WorkSafeBC's policies, a B.C. employer should have all of the following:

The system applies to more than conflicts between employees. WorkSafeBC's definition can include conduct by an employer, supervisor, co-worker, customer, client, patient, contractor or member of the public toward a worker.

This article is general information, not legal advice. Workplaces with unions, regulated services, vulnerable people, complex privacy obligations, serious violence or federally regulated operations should obtain advice suited to their circumstances.

What does workplace bullying and harassment mean in British Columbia?

WorkSafeBC Policy P2-21-2 defines workplace bullying and harassment as including inappropriate conduct or comment by a person toward a worker when the person knew or reasonably ought to have known the conduct or comment would cause the worker to be humiliated or intimidated.

The definition excludes reasonable action taken by an employer or supervisor relating to the management and direction of workers or the place of employment.

Several parts of this definition matter.

A single incident may be enough

Unlike a definition that requires a repeated “course” of conduct, the B.C. wording refers to any inappropriate conduct or comment that meets the test. Repetition can make a case stronger, but a serious single incident may qualify.

For example, one public threat, degrading slur, unwanted sexual touch or humiliating initiation may require an immediate response. The employer should assess the actual conduct and context instead of assuming that bullying must continue for weeks before the policy applies.

The test includes what a reasonable person should have known

The person does not escape responsibility simply by saying, “I did not mean to upset anyone.” The question includes whether that person reasonably ought to have known the conduct would humiliate or intimidate the worker.

Context matters. Consider the language, tone, setting, power difference, worker's vulnerability, audience, previous interactions, work purpose and whether the conduct was public, digital or repeated.

The worker does not always have to confront the person

Some policies mistakenly require a worker to tell the alleged bully to stop before making a report. That can be unsafe or unrealistic when the alleged person is an owner, manager, aggressive customer or someone controlling shifts, income, housing, transportation or immigration-related work conditions.

Workers should be encouraged to speak up when they feel safe, but direct confrontation should not be a condition for using the reporting process.

Third-party behaviour can be covered

The definition uses the word “person,” not only “employee.” A customer shouting degrading insults, a patient directing racist comments at a worker, a contractor sending intimidating messages or a member of the public repeatedly targeting an employee can engage the employer's prevention and response duties.

An employer may have less control over a non-worker than over an employee, but it still needs reasonable controls. Those controls may include client-conduct notices, service limits, security, staffing changes, contract terms, escalation procedures, de-escalation training or exclusion from the workplace.

Examples of workplace bullying and harassment in B.C.

Depending on the facts, workplace bullying and harassment may include:

Not every rude moment will meet the legal test. However, an employer can use a broader respectful-workplace rule to address incivility before it grows into a safety, human-rights or retention problem.

What is not normally bullying and harassment?

Reasonable management and direction is excluded from the WorkSafeBC definition. Examples may include legitimate decisions about:

The action must still be reasonable. A legitimate decision can be delivered through an unreasonable method. A supervisor may have a valid performance concern but still violate the policy by screaming insults, making threats or humiliating the worker in front of the entire team.

The employer should separate three questions:

  1. Was there a legitimate management purpose?
  2. Was the decision itself reasonable?
  3. Was the manner of communication or enforcement respectful and non-discriminatory?

The phrase “performance management” should not be used as an automatic reason to close a complaint.

The legal framework: where B.C. employer duties come from

British Columbia's system is different from provinces that place a detailed harassment program directly inside an occupational health and safety regulation. The main duties arise through the general duties in the Workers Compensation Act and WorkSafeBC's occupational health and safety policies.

Workers Compensation Act section 21

Section 21 requires an employer to ensure the health and safety of its workers and other workers present where the employer's work is carried out. It also requires the information, instruction, training and supervision necessary to protect workers.

WorkSafeBC Policy P2-21-2 explains what WorkSafeBC considers reasonable employer steps for the hazard of workplace bullying and harassment.

Worker and supervisor duties

Workers have duties under section 22 and Policy P2-22-1. These include not engaging in bullying or harassment, reporting bullying and harassment they experience or observe, and applying and complying with the employer's procedures.

Supervisors have duties under section 23 and Policy P2-23-2. They must not engage in bullying or harassment and must apply and comply with the employer's policy and procedures. A person can function as a supervisor even without the word “supervisor” in the job title if that person directs and controls workers.

Human Rights Code overlap

Section 13 of the B.C. Human Rights Code prohibits discrimination in employment because of protected characteristics such as Indigenous identity, race, colour, ancestry, place of origin, religion, marital or family status, physical or mental disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age and other listed grounds.

Sexual harassment and harassment connected to a protected ground can be discrimination. This means the same facts may involve both WorkSafeBC duties and human-rights duties. A WorkSafeBC bullying analysis should not replace the protected-ground analysis.

For the current grounds and statutory wording, see the British Columbia Human Rights Code.

The B.C. employer requirements, step by step

1. Develop a clear policy statement

The policy should say that workplace bullying and harassment is not acceptable or tolerated. It should define the conduct, explain the reasonable-management exclusion and apply to workers, supervisors, managers, owners and relevant third parties.

The scope should reflect actual work. Include offices, stores, construction sites, vehicles, client locations, employer events, conferences, travel, employer-provided accommodation, remote work and work-connected digital communication.

Do not publish a template with blank brackets. Insert the legal employer name, covered workplaces, responsible executive, primary recipient, alternate recipient, effective date and annual review date.

2. Take steps to prevent or minimize the hazard

WorkSafeBC expects more than reaction after a complaint. Employers must take reasonable steps to prevent bullying and harassment where possible and otherwise minimize it.

Prevention begins by understanding where the risk is greatest. Consider:

Reasonable controls might include role clarity, respectful-leadership expectations, customer-conduct rules, contract clauses, staffing changes, digital moderation, secure reporting, supervisor coaching, early intervention and physical-security procedures.

3. Create reporting procedures people can actually use

The procedure must explain how, when and to whom a worker reports. It should allow an affected worker or witness to raise a concern orally or in writing.

Ask for useful information such as what happened, dates, locations, people involved, witnesses, messages, documents, impact and immediate safety needs. A form can help, but it should not become a barrier.

The employer should explain whether supervisors must forward reports, how quickly that happens, how anonymous information will be assessed and what a worker should do if the report is urgent.

4. Establish a genuine alternate reporting route

WorkSafeBC's employer policy specifically requires procedures for reporting when the employer, supervisor or person acting on behalf of the employer is the alleged bully or harasser.

This alternate route should be independent enough to function. In a small owner-managed business, naming another employee who reports directly to the owner may not be credible. Options include an outside human-resources professional, board member, designated senior leader or independent reporting service.

List the person's role, secure email address, telephone number and backup. Test the route annually. An unused inbox, former employee or person without authority is not an effective alternative.

5. Respond to reports and observed incidents

The employer should act when it receives a report or otherwise becomes aware of possible bullying and harassment. A worker may make an indirect disclosure, a supervisor may witness conduct, or a digital record may reveal a concern.

The first response should include:

The employer should acknowledge the concern promptly, explain the next steps and avoid promising an exact outcome or absolute secrecy.

6. Use fair and proportionate interim measures

Interim measures protect people and the process while facts are being examined. They are not findings of guilt.

Possible measures include no-contact directions, reporting changes, schedule adjustments, temporary reassignment, remote work, security controls or paid leave. The measure should be proportionate and reviewed regularly. Where possible, the person reporting should not carry the main disadvantage simply because they asked for help.

If the concern includes threats, physical assault, stalking or a risk of physical injury, activate the workplace violence and emergency procedures as well. WorkSafeBC's violence-prevention requirements are distinct from the bullying and harassment policies.

7. Investigate promptly, diligently and fairly

WorkSafeBC guidance says investigations should be undertaken promptly and diligently, be as thorough as necessary, be fair and impartial, maintain confidentiality to the extent possible, focus on facts and evidence, and provide assistance to the parties where necessary.

A sound investigation usually includes:

  1. a written list of allegations and issues;
  2. an impartial investigator with suitable knowledge and experience;
  3. notice to the respondent with enough detail for a meaningful answer;
  4. separate interviews with the complainant, respondent and relevant witnesses;
  5. collection and preservation of relevant documents and digital records;
  6. a fair opportunity to respond to significant conflicting evidence;
  7. findings based on the balance of probabilities; and
  8. reasons connecting the evidence to each finding.

The investigation does not need to imitate a court proceeding, but it must be even-handed and sufficiently thorough for the circumstances.

8. Decide when an external investigator is needed

An internal investigator may be appropriate for a straightforward concern if that person is trained, impartial and sufficiently independent.

An external investigator is often safer when:

The employer should use written terms of reference defining scope, allegations, roles, evidence, confidentiality, report recipients and target schedule.

9. Follow up and implement corrective action

WorkSafeBC expects the procedures to cover follow-up after the investigation. This includes corrective actions, timeframes and dealing with adverse symptoms or effects.

Corrective action may include:

The employer should assign an owner and deadline for each action. It should then check whether the action worked and whether retaliation or renewed conduct occurred.

A complaint that is not substantiated can still reveal poor communication, conflict, weak leadership or a system hazard requiring correction.

10. Document the investigation and response

The employer's procedures must explain how investigations will be documented and records maintained. Records may include:

Keep case files secure, access-controlled and separate from ordinary personnel material except where a final employment decision properly belongs in the personnel file.

WorkSafeBC guidance does not create a simple universal seven-year retention period for every file. Employers should set a defensible schedule after considering privacy, limitation periods, workers' compensation, collective agreements, litigation holds and sector-specific requirements.

11. Train workers, supervisors and investigators

Workers and supervisors should understand:

Investigators require additional training suited to a sensitive and challenging role. Complaint recipients also need training on neutral intake, urgent safety issues, evidence preservation, accessibility and conflicts.

Training should be documented. Re-train when the procedure changes, a new supervisor is appointed or an annual review finds that workers do not understand the system.

12. Review the system annually

WorkSafeBC requires an annual review of the policy statement, reporting procedures, investigation procedures and prevention steps to ensure they remain effective.

An effective review asks:

Record the review date, participants, information considered, deficiencies, decisions, owners and deadlines. Simply changing the date in the footer is not a meaningful annual review.

Is there a mandatory 90-day investigation deadline in B.C.?

Current WorkSafeBC guidance says investigations should be prompt and diligent and as thorough as necessary in the circumstances. It does not impose a universal 90-calendar-day deadline for every bullying and harassment investigation.

An employer may adopt a 90-day internal target as an enhanced practice, provided it does not treat that target as permission to delay urgent steps. A complex case may require longer; a simple case should often finish sooner. If the investigation is delayed, document the reasons, continue interim protections and provide appropriate status updates.

Do not copy Ontario's Minister-approved 90-day and 10-day Code method into a B.C. policy as if it were B.C. law. The jurisdictions use different legal structures.

Practical B.C. response workflow

Flowchart showing the B.C. workplace bullying and harassment process: prevent and prepare, receive a report, protect people and evidence, investigate promptly, correct and follow up, then train, document and review.
Figure 1. A practical B.C. process based on current WorkSafeBC duties. Investigations should be prompt, diligent, fair and as thorough as necessary, followed by corrective action, documentation and annual effectiveness review.

The workflow begins before a complaint. Employers that appoint recipients, train supervisors and create usable procedures in advance are better able to respond fairly when facts are difficult or a senior person is involved.

Two practical examples

Example 1: a customer repeatedly humiliates a retail worker

A customer repeatedly calls a worker degrading names when a refund is refused. The customer tells the manager that “this is just how I talk” and continues visiting the store. The worker becomes anxious about every scheduled shift.

The employer should not dismiss the matter because the customer is not an employee. WorkSafeBC's definition can include a member of the public. The employer should document the reports, assess immediate safety, speak with the customer, enforce a conduct rule and consider limiting or ending service. It may also adjust staffing or security while the concern is addressed.

The employer should investigate enough to understand what occurred and whether management failed to respond to earlier incidents. Corrective action may include customer exclusion, manager training, signage and a clear escalation protocol.

Example 2: an operations manager is accused in a remote-work team

A remote employee reports that the operations manager repeatedly mocks her accent during video meetings and sends private messages questioning whether “people from her country” understand Canadian work standards. The normal reporting route is the operations manager.

The employee must have another route. The employer should activate the independent recipient listed in its policy, preserve meeting recordings and messages where lawfully available, screen for protected-ground discrimination and appoint an investigator who does not report to the manager.

Temporary reporting changes may help prevent contact or retaliation. The investigation should examine both the private messages and the effect on the wider team. Even if some colleagues describe the comments as jokes, the decision must apply the objective and contextual test.

Real-world B.C. case study: McIntosh v. Metro Aluminum Products

The B.C. Human Rights Tribunal decision McIntosh v. Metro Aluminum Products and another, 2011 BCHRT 34, shows why digital harassment, authority and previous consent must be handled carefully.

What happened

Ms. McIntosh worked for Metro Aluminum Products. She and the company's owner had previously been in a consensual relationship. After she ended that relationship, the owner continued sending sexual propositions, degrading language and sexually provocative text messages.

Ms. McIntosh told him that the communication was unwelcome and asked him to stop. The messages continued. She depended on the job for income and eventually left the workplace because of the harassment.

What the Tribunal decided

The Tribunal found sexual harassment and discrimination in employment under section 13 of the Human Rights Code. It held the company and owner jointly and severally liable. The remedies included $14,493.80 for wage loss and $12,500 for injury to dignity, feelings and self-respect. The B.C. Human Rights Tribunal's official compensation summary also records expenses awarded in the case.

The decision is available through CanLII: McIntosh v. Metro Aluminum Products and another, 2011 BCHRT 34. A judicial-review petition was later dismissed in 2012 BCSC 345.

The employer lesson

Previous consent to a relationship or earlier messages does not create permanent consent. Once communication becomes unwelcome, the employer must assess the current facts.

The case also shows the evidentiary importance of digital records. Text messages can establish words, frequency and timing. Employers need proportionate procedures for preserving work-connected messages without conducting unlawful or overbroad surveillance.

Finally, an owner cannot be the only complaint recipient when the owner may be accused. A pre-appointed independent route and external investigator can prevent a serious conflict from controlling the response.

Another B.C. case to remember: Harrison v. Nixon Safety Consulting

In Harrison v. Nixon Safety Consulting and others (No. 3), 2008 BCHRT 462, a safety officer experienced sexual comments and conduct from a person in authority at a construction site. The Tribunal's official summary records that she was dismissed soon after complaining to management. The remedies included $15,000 for injury to dignity and $14,144 in wage loss.

The practical lesson is straightforward: receiving a complaint and then taking an adverse employment action creates serious human-rights and retaliation risk. Before discipline or termination involving a complainant or witness, the employer should document the independent reason, separate decision-makers where possible and obtain advice.

Common B.C. policy mistakes

Using a generic Canadian harassment policy

A generic policy may omit WorkSafeBC terminology, worker and supervisor duties, third-party conduct, annual effectiveness review or the required alternate route. Use the British Columbia-specific free policy.

Requiring repeated conduct in every case

B.C.'s WorkSafeBC definition can capture inappropriate conduct or comment without requiring a repeated course. A serious single incident should not be rejected automatically.

Naming only the direct supervisor

A normal supervisor route fails when that supervisor is accused. The policy must include a practical alternative when the employer, supervisor or employer representative is involved.

Treating a form as a condition of reporting

Forms are useful for details and records. They should not prevent the employer from acting on an oral report, witnessed incident or other credible information.

Letting a conflicted person investigate

The recipient, investigator and decision-maker should be screened for actual or reasonable perceived conflicts. Seniority alone does not make someone impartial.

Promising absolute confidentiality

A fair investigation normally requires limited disclosure of allegations and evidence. Promise controlled disclosure to the extent possible, not total secrecy.

Importing Ontario's timelines

B.C. investigations should be prompt and diligent, but Ontario's Code-based 90/10-day method is not B.C. law. Label internal service targets as employer standards.

Failing to follow up

An investigation report is not the end of the process. Assign corrective actions, deadlines and effectiveness reviews. Check for retaliation and continuing effects.

Performing a paper-only annual review

Changing the date does not test effectiveness. Review reporting routes, delays, training, record practices, corrective actions, repeat risks and worker understanding.

B.C. employer implementation checklist

Before issuing the policy, confirm that:

For a broader operational review, use Canada Policy Manual's free HR compliance checklist. The Legal Glossary explains common employment and policy terms in plain English.

Ready to put the B.C. program into practice?

Start with the jurisdiction-specific policy and program template, then replace every placeholder with your workplace details.

Download the Free B.C. Workplace Bullying and Harassment Policy

How to customize the free B.C. template

The downloaded document is a detailed drafting resource. It should not be issued unchanged.

First, complete the policy identification section. Add the legal employer name, locations, responsible executive, primary recipient, alternate recipient, effective date, annual review date and training record location.

Second, adapt the scope to the real workplace. Include customer or patient contact, remote work, camp or employer lodging, vehicles, travel, events, contractor relationships and digital channels that workers actually use.

Third, identify prevention controls. A public-facing store needs different controls from a remote technology company or industrial camp. The document should reflect known risks and previous experience.

Fourth, tailor the investigation process. Decide who appoints the investigator, who receives the report, how conflicts are assessed, what support or representation is permitted, where evidence is stored and who makes final decisions.

Fifth, connect the document to workplace violence, emergency, first-aid, accommodation, privacy, human-rights and collective-agreement procedures.

Finally, complete the operational schedules. An empty checklist, form or tracker is not evidence of implementation. Keep records showing approval, communication, training, reports, investigations, corrective action and annual review.

Employers building a complete HR system can review the British Columbia policy manual or create an account for an organization-specific manual.

2026 regulatory watch: proposed WorkSafeBC Part 4.1

As of August 13, 2026, WorkSafeBC has published proposed amendments that would create a new OHS Regulation Part 4.1 addressing harassment and violence. The consultation is scheduled to close at 4:30 p.m. on October 9, 2026.

The proposal is not current law and has not been incorporated into this guide as an enacted requirement. Employers should continue following the current Act, policies and regulation while monitoring the proposal's final disposition. If a final rule is enacted, the policy, procedures, training and this article should be reviewed promptly.

This distinction matters for accuracy. A consultation document can show where regulation may be heading, but it should never be presented to workers as an obligation already in force.

Frequently asked questions about B.C. workplace bullying and harassment policies

Does every B.C. employer need a bullying and harassment policy?

WorkSafeBC Policy P2-21-2 identifies developing a policy statement as a reasonable employer step required to address the hazard. The policy should state that workplace bullying and harassment is not acceptable or tolerated and should be supported by working procedures.

What is workplace bullying and harassment in B.C.?

It includes inappropriate conduct or comment by a person toward a worker that the person knew or reasonably ought to have known would cause the worker to be humiliated or intimidated. It excludes reasonable management and direction.

Can one incident qualify as bullying or harassment?

Yes. The B.C. definition does not expressly require a repeated course. A serious single comment or act may satisfy the test depending on the facts and context.

Must workers report bullying and harassment they witness?

WorkSafeBC's worker policy says workers must report bullying and harassment they experience or observe and apply the employer's reporting procedures.

What if the employer or supervisor is accused?

The reporting procedure must include a route for situations where the employer, supervisor or person acting for the employer is the alleged bully or harasser. The alternate recipient should be practical and sufficiently independent.

Does harassment by a customer or member of the public count?

It can. WorkSafeBC's definition refers to conduct by a “person,” which may include a customer, client, patient, contractor or member of the public. The employer must take reasonable preventive and responsive steps.

Is performance management bullying and harassment?

Reasonable management and direction is excluded. The exclusion does not protect abusive, discriminatory, humiliating or retaliatory methods. The decision and the manner in which it was carried out should be assessed separately.

How quickly must a B.C. investigation be completed?

WorkSafeBC says investigations should be prompt and diligent and as thorough as necessary. Current B.C. rules do not set one universal 90-day statutory deadline for every case. Employer targets should be labelled as internal standards.

Must an employer hire an external investigator?

Not in every case. The investigator must be appropriate and impartial. External investigation is often advisable when senior leadership is involved, allegations are serious, the workplace is small or internal independence is reasonably questioned.

Must the employer give the parties the full investigation report?

WorkSafeBC requires investigation procedures and follow-up but does not create an automatic right to the complete report in every case. A clear closure summary is a strong practice, subject to privacy, privilege, collective agreements and other law.

How often must the policy and procedures be reviewed?

At least annually. The review should cover the policy statement, reporting procedure, investigation procedure and prevention steps and should assess whether they are effective.

Is WorkSafeBC's proposed Part 4.1 already law?

No. As of August 13, 2026, it is a consultation proposal with a stated closing date of October 9, 2026. Employers should monitor the final outcome but should not present the proposal as an enacted requirement.

Final takeaway

A B.C. workplace bullying and harassment policy must operate as a safety system. It should help a worker report safely, guide a supervisor who receives a concern, support a fair investigation and turn findings into prevention.

The strongest practical approach is to prevent and prepare, receive reports through normal and alternate routes, protect people and evidence, investigate promptly and impartially, correct the conduct and underlying risk, document the response, train each role and test the system every year.

Download the free British Columbia Workplace Bullying and Harassment Policy Template, then customize every field, risk control and operational schedule for the actual workplace.

Authoritative British Columbia sources

Legal information notice: This article and the linked template provide general information and drafting support. They are not legal advice, do not create a lawyer-client relationship and do not guarantee compliance or a particular result. Confirm jurisdiction, current law and workplace-specific obligations before adoption. Laws, policies and official interpretations may change after August 13, 2026.

Ready to put the B.C. program into practice?

Start with the jurisdiction-specific policy and program template, then replace every placeholder with your workplace details.

Download the Free B.C. Workplace Bullying and Harassment Policy

Key Takeaways

Disclaimer: This article and the linked template provide general information and drafting support. They are not legal advice, do not create a lawyer-client relationship and do not guarantee compliance or a particular result. Confirm jurisdiction, current law and workplace-specific obligations before adoption.