IMPORTANT NOTICE

SHARP Workplaces Legal Advice Clinic will cease providing legal services in March 2024 as our funding is coming to an end. We may have limited capacity to assist new clients.

We will not be able to accept new clients after FEBRUARY 23, 2024.

If you have experienced sexual assault and need free legal advice, contact Stand Informed legal advice services.

If you have experienced workplace sexual harassment, the following organizations may be able to assist:



You Have the Right to a Harassment-Free Workplace: Get Help Now

The SHARP Workplaces legal clinic provides up to five hours of free confidential legal advice to help  you deal with workplace sexual harassment.

Our clinic lawyers can:

  • Explain your rights and legal options
  • Provide advice on how to address sexual harassment in your workplace
  • Explain how to file a human rights complaint, WorkSafe complaint, or other process
  • Advise whether you may make a complaint to the police
  • Help by reviewing or drafting documents
  • Coach you through a complaint or legal process
  • Advise you in negotiations
  • Help you prepare for a settlement meeting or hearing
  • Refer you to services for additional support that you may be able to access, such as counselling

What Happens Next

After you get in touch, our Intake Coordinator will have a call with you to understand your situation. This call can range from 10 minutes to an hour, depending on your case. Normally, the first call is just with you, but we understand that sometimes it is helpful to have a support worker or friend on the call as well. We are happy to have them join the call to make you feel safe and comfortable. We can also provide an interpreter for the intake process if English is not your first language.

  1. It can take up to 1-2 weeks for us to complete conflicts checks and match you up with the right lawyer for your case.
  2. We will send you a retainer agreement – a contract between you and your lawyer, for you to sign.
  3. After you have signed the retainer, we will send your file to your lawyer and set up your first meeting. This usually happens within 1-2 weeks of you signing the retainer agreement. Again, if English is not your first language we can provide an interpreter for all meetings with your lawyer.

You will be able to communicate with your lawyer directly about your case. Sometimes the idea of talking to a lawyer can feel intimidating. Try to remember our lawyers are here to help and support you. They provide advice and you decide what you do and don’t want to do. You and your lawyer decide how you would like to meet and work together.  It can be by phone, in-person, on video conference, and through email.

Our lawyers and staff are trained to take a holistic, trauma-informed approach to helping our clients. That means we see you as more than just your legal issue or someone who was sexually harassed.

We understand that sexual harassment can have an impact on physical and mental health. You might be struggling with housing or financial difficulties because you have had to quit your job. In these cases, we can help you access other services that you may need by providing referrals. This could be to counselling, financial, or other support services. We know that retelling your story can be exhausting and we will help reduce the need for you to repeat information or provide documents multiple times.



Workplace sexual harassment is:

  • Behaviour of a sexual nature
  • that is unwelcomed/unwanted, and
  • leads to negative job-related consequences.

Sexual harassment does not require intent. This means it can still be workplace sexual harassment even if the harasser didn’t think it was sexual harassment or didn’t mean to harm you. “I didn’t mean to” or “it’s just a joke” is not a defence.

Workplace sexual harassment can be based on someone’s sex, gender, gender identity or expression, or sexual orientation.

Examples of workplace sexual harassment include:

  • Touching, patting, hugging
  • Sexual staring, leering, gestures, teasing, jokes
  • Showing or sending suggestive/sexual pictures, comments, emails, or texts
  • Repeated and unwanted invitations or attention, including “compliments”
  • Microaggressions
  • Stalking
  • Pressure to accept sexual behavior to get hired, keep your job, or get a promotion
  • Disrespectful comments about someone’s gender presentation
  • Sexual assault

The behaviour may be subtle and still be workplace sexual harassment.

Anyone you interact with for your work could be involved in workplace sexual harassment.

This includes:

  • Managers/supervisors
  • Co-workers
  • Clients
  • Customers
  • Contractors
  • Volunteers

Other people connected with your work
See our blog post about who can be involved in workplace sexual harassment for information.

Workplace sexual harassment can happen at your usual workplace or somewhere else when it’s connected with your work. Workplace sexual harassment could occur:

  • At your workplace, or where you are working (e.g., whether it’s an office, shop, vehicle, assigned work location, customer’s place of business)
  • At conferences or training events
  • On social outings – including work events/parties
  • On coffee breaks outside the office
  • While working from home
  • On Zoom, video conferences, texts, emails, or phone calls
  • At a job interview
  • On social media – Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, Tiktok, Snapchat
More Workplace Sexual Harassment FAQs

Additional Resources

SHARP Workplaces Legal Advice Clinic Youtube Channel

Visit our Youtube channel for multilingual videos explaining what sexual harassment in the workplace is and how we can help you.

Feature Videos for June – Indigenous History Month

SHARP Workplaces

The SHARP Workplaces website includes free resources on workplace sexual harassment for workers and employers, including information on free training sessions that EVA BC offers.



Downloadable Brochures and Posters