Commitment

Benmor Family Law Group is committed to providing a work environment that ensures that every employee is treated with dignity and respect and afforded equitable treatment.

Benmor Family Law Group is committed to promoting a work environment that is conducive to the professional growth of its employees, provides a professional atmosphere and promotes equality of opportunity.

Benmor Family Law Group will not tolerate any form of harassment and is committed to taking all necessary steps to ensure that its employees are not subject to harassment.

The Ontario Human Rights Code guarantees employees the right to employment in a workplace free from harassment and discrimination.

Scope

This policy applies to all those working for Benmor Family Law Group including secretarial, support, professional and administrative staff, articling and summer students, associates and partners. Benmor Family Law Group will not tolerate sexual harassment whether engaged in by fellow employees, supervisors, clients, associates or partners.

The workplace includes:

• all office or other premises where Benmor Family Law Group provides service;
• all firm-related activities performed at any other site away from Benmor Family Law Group;
• any social, business or other functions where the conduct or comments may have an effect on the workplace or workplace relations.

Definition Of Sexual Harassment

Sexual harassment may be one or a series of incidents involving unsolicited and unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favours or other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature.

Sexual harassment in the workplace includes:

• unwelcome sexual advances (verbal, written or physical);
• requests or demands for sexual favours;
• any other type of sexually-oriented conduct;
• verbal abuse or “kidding” that is sex-oriented.

Sexual harassment occurs when:

• the conduct has the purpose or the effect of interfering with an individual’s work performance or creating an intimidating, hostile or offensive work environment, and/or
• submission to such conduct is either an explicit or implicit term or condition of employment, and/or
• submission to, or rejection of, the conduct is used as a basis for making employment decisions.

Responsibilities Regarding Sexual Harassment

Employees
Each member of Benmor Family Law Group

• has a personal responsibility to ensure that his/her behavior is not contrary to this policy;
• is encouraged to reinforce the maintenance of a work environment free from sexual harassment;

Management
Members of the managing body are responsible for:

• discouraging and preventing employment-related sexual harassment;
• investigating every formal written complaint of sexual harassment;
• taking appropriate remedial measures that Benmor Family Law Group becomes aware of;
• ensuring that all members and employees of Benmor Family Law Group are aware of the problem of sexual harassment and their responsibilities with respect to preventing sexual harassment.

Complaint Procedure
Benmor Family Law Group is committed to providing a supportive environment in which to resolve concerns of sexual harassment.
Informal Resolution Options:

1. When an incident of harassment occurs, communicate your disapproval and objections immediately to the harasser and request the harasser to stop.
2. If the harassment does not stop or if you are not comfortable with addressing the harasser directly, bring your concern to the attention of Steven Benmor. Benmor Family Law Group will provide advice or support as requested and will undertake any investigation necessary to resolve the matter.

Complaints

1. Any member of Benmor Family Law Group with a harassment concern who is not comfortable with the informal resolution options, or has exhausted such options, may bring a written complaint to Benmor Family Law Group. All such complaints will be promptly investigated.
2. If, after an investigation, it is determined that an allegation of harassment is valid, appropriate corrective action will be taken.
3. Corrective action may include any of the following, or a combination thereof:

• a formal apology;
• counseling;
• a written warning placed in the employee’s file;
• a change of work assignment;
• suspension or discharge of an employee.

Confidentiality

• Benmor Family Law Group understands that it is difficult to come forward with a complaint of sexual harassment and recognizes the complainant’s interest in keeping the matter confidential.
• To protect the interests of the complainant, the person complained of and any other person who may report incidents of sexual harassment, confidentiality will be maintained throughout any investigation process to the extent practicable and appropriate under the circumstances.
• All records of complaints, including contents of meetings, interviews, results of investigations and other relevant material will be kept confidential by Benmor Family Law Group except where disclosure is required for disciplinary or other remedial processes.

No Reprisal
Benmor Family Law Group is committed to ensuring that no firm member who brings forward a harassment concern is subject to any form of reprisal. Any reprisal action will be viewed as a disciplinable matter.