Workplace Safety & Harassment Policy

This safety and workplace harassment policy is intended for use by Project Spaces employees.

‍The Policy Statement
Project Spaces is committed to providing a safe environment for all of its employees and members, free from discrimination on any ground, and from harassment at work, including sexual harassment.Project Spaces will treat all incidents seriously and promptly investigate all allegations of harassment. Any employee, guest or member found to have harassed another employee, guest or member will face disciplinary action, up to and including removal as a member. All complaints of harassment will be taken seriously and treated with respect and in complete confidence.

No employee will be victimized for making such a complaint.

‍Definition of Sexual Harassment
Under Division XV.1 of Part III of the Canada Labour Code, sexual harassment is defined as any conduct, comment, gesture, or contact of a sexual nature that is likely to cause offence or humiliation; or that might, on reasonable grounds, be perceived as placing a condition of a sexualnature on employment or on any opportunity for training or promotion.

Sexual harassment can involve one or more incidents and actions constituting harassment. Theymay be a combination of physical, verbal and non-verbal actions. Examples of conduct or behaviorwhich constitute harassment include, but are not limited to:

‍Physical Conduct
• Unwelcome physical contact including patting, pinching, stroking, kissing, hugging,fondling, or inappropriate touching
• Physical violence, including assault
• The use of threats or rewards to solicit sexual favors

‍Verbal Conduct
• Comments on a worker’s appearance, age, private life, etc.
• Sexual comments and inappropriate jokes
• Sexual advances
• Repeated and unwanted social invitations for dates or physical intimacy· Insults based on the sex of the worker
• Condescending or paternalistic remarks
• Sending sexually explicit messages (by phone or by email)

‍Non-Verbal Conduct
• Display of sexually explicit or suggestive material· Sexually-suggestive gestures
• Whistling/winking
• Leering

Anyone can be a victim of harassment, regardless of their sex and of the sex of the harasser. Project Spaces recognizes that harassment may also occur between people of the same sex. What matters is that the sexual conduct is unwanted and unwelcome by the person against whom the conduct is directed.

Project Spaces recognizes that harassment is a manifestation of power relationships and often occurs within unequal relationships in the workplace, for example between a current member or a former member towards an employee, between members, or between employees. Anyone, including employees of Project Spaces, our current members, interns, contractors, visitors of members, or prospective members who sexually harasses an employee will be addressed and/or reprimanded in accordance with this internal policy.

All harassment is prohibited whether it takes place within a Project Spaces premises or outside, including social events, off-site meetings, training sessions or if encountering a member outside of work hours.

‍Complaints Procedure
Anyone who is subject to harassment should, if possible, inform the alleged harasser that the conduct is unwanted and unwelcome. Project Spaces recognizes that harassment may occur in unequal relationships between a member and employee, and that it may not be possible for the victim to inform the alleged harasser.

If a victim cannot directly approach an alleged harasser, he/she can approach any Project Spaces employee. It is the right of every employee, member and guest at Project Spaces to make a complaint as dictated by the Canadian Human Rights Act. As we grow our company and community, employees working under our community managers should use their direct superior as the first person to report any incidences. If they are uncomfortable in doing so, they can also choose to disclose incidents to senior management directly.

When a designated person receives a complaint of harassment, he/she will:

• Immediately record the dates, times and facts of the incident(s)
• Ensure that the victim understands the Project Spaces policies and procedures for dealing with the complaint
• Ascertain the views of the victim as to what outcome he/she wants
discuss and agree on the next steps: either informal or formal complaint, on the understanding that choosing to resolve the matter informally does not preclude the employee from pursuing a formal legal complaint if he/she is not satisfied with the outcome
• Keep a confidential record of all discussions
• Respect the choice of the victim
• Ensure the victim knows that they can lodge the complaint outside of the company through the relevant legal channel and that it is their right to lodge a complaint under the Canadian Human Rights Act
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Throughout the complaints procedure, an employee or member is entitled to be assisted by, initially their direct superior, or senior management. Project Spaces recognizes that because harassment often occurs in unequal relationships within the workplace, employees often feel that they cannot come forward. Project Spaces understands the need to support our staff in making complaints.

‍Informal Complaints Mechanism
‍If the victim wishes to deal with the matter informally, the designated complaint-receiver will:

• Facilitate discussion between both parties to achieve an informal resolution which is acceptable to the complainant
• Ensure that a confidential record is kept of what happens
• Follow up after the outcome of the complaints mechanism to ensure that the behavior has stopped
• Ensure that the above is done speedily and within 7 days of the complaint being made to a Project Spaces employee

‍Formal Complaints Mechanism
‍If the victim wants to make a formal complaint or if the informal complaint mechanism has not led to a satisfactory outcome, the formal complaint mechanism should be used to resolve the matter.

In this case, the designated person who initially received the complaint will refer the matter to the police to instigate a formal investigation.

The designated complaint-receiver will:

• Interview the victim and the alleged harasser separately
• Interview other relevant third parties separately, if necessary
• Produce a report detailing the investigations, findings and any recommendations
• If the harassment took place, decide what the appropriate remedy for the victim is, in consultation with the victim (i.e. an apology, a change to working arrangements or relocation another space, discipline or removal of the member)
• Follow up to ensure that the recommendations are implemented, that the behavior has stopped and that the victim is satisfied with the outcome
• If it cannot determine that the harassment took place, he/she may still make recommendations to ensure proper functioning of the workplace
• Keep a record of all actions taken, in confidence
• Ensure that the all records concerning the matter are kept confidential
• Ensure that the process is done as quickly as possible and in any event within 7 days of the complaint being made

‍Outside Complaints Mechanisms
‍A person who has been subject to harassment of any form can also make a complaint outside of the company. They can do so through the police department.

‍Sanctions and Disciplinary Measures
‍Anyone who has been found to have harassed a Project Spaces member or employee under the terms of this policy is liable to any of the following sanctions:

• Verbal or written warning with three warnings leading to a ban from one or all Project Spaces locations
• Immediate ban from one or all Project Spaces locations
• A report being filed with the police

The nature of the sanctions will depend on the gravity and extent of the harassment. Suitable deterrent sanctions will be applied to ensure that incidents of harassment are not treated as trivial. Certain serious cases, including physical violence, will result in the immediate termination of membership and a ban from all Project Spaces locations.

‍Implementation of this policy
‍Project Spaces will ensure this policy is disseminated to all relevant staff members. All new employees must be trained on the content of this policy as part of their induction into the company. Every year, Project Spaces will require all employees to attend a refresher training meeting on the content of this policy.

‍Monitoring and evaluation
‍Project Spaces recognizes the importance of monitoring this safety and workplace harassment policy and will ensure that it anonymously collects statistics and data as to how it is used and whether or not it is effective.

Our community managers and those responsible for dealing with harassment cases, will report on compliance with this policy ⎯ including the number of incidents ⎯ , how they were dealt with, and any recommendations made. This will be done on a yearly basis. As a result of this report, Project Spaces will evaluate the effectiveness of this policy and make any changes needed.

Last updated Jan 28, 2018