By Anya Kazanjian, SHARP Workplaces

Workplace sexual harassment comes in many forms. Sometimes it’s an obvious incident of harassment and other times it’s an offhand comment, sexual joke, or subtle behaviour that makes you feel uncomfortable. No matter what the situation, it’s a good idea to document the harassment so that you have a detailed log of what you experienced. Here’s a breakdown of the importance of documenting, and some tips for doing so.

Why document workplace sexual harassment?

At the most basic level, documenting workplace sexual harassment can help you remember what happened when. These details are important if you decide to file a complaint with your employer or pursue a legal claim. You will likely need a timeline of events for most complaints or claims, so creating a record sooner rather than later can reduce the number of times you have to retell your story. Documentation will improve your credibility and can be used as evidence in a hearing, trial, or investigation.

What do you document?

Make notes about all instances of sexual harassment and keep a record of any communication that is part of the harassment, or about the harassment.

  • Save personal, private copies of emails, text messages, voicemails, or social media posts. You can print, take screenshots, or forward material to your personal email.
  • If you think something was captured by a security camera, ask for the footage as soon as you can. Security footage can be erased quickly.
  • If you report the sexual harassment to your employer/management, try to do so in writing. If you talk about it in a meeting, you may want to send a follow up email with what was discussed and forward a copy to your personal email address. Take note of any actions your employer takes to address the situation.
  • Document any conversations you have about the sexual harassment, whether that be with coworkers, family, or friends.
  • Write down how the sexual harassment affected you. Part of the definition of workplace sexual harassment is that it has negative, job-related consequences.
    • Is it harder to sleep?
    • Are you anxious to go to work?
    • Are you less motivated at work?
    • Did you change shifts or work hours to avoid the harasser?

Try to be specific in your notetaking and include full names when possible. Below is an example of what documenting workplace sexual harassment can look like. It does not need to look like this, but the information presented here is good to include.

Where do you take notes?

Keep all documentation in a personal and private location. You can use a computer document, phone note, or journal. It’s best to keep this separate from other notes and information so that it’s easy to submit as evidence if need be.

Sometimes, uncomfortable compliments and inappropriate jokes become so commonplace they’re almost expected. One discriminatory remark might not be enough for a complaint or claim, but if you document such comments to show a pattern of discriminatory behaviour, that could speak to the overall work environment. Documenting workplace sexual harassment, whether it’s the day of an incident or a year later, can make things easier down the line. If you or someone you know is suffering from sexual harassment at work, call or email SHARP Workplaces Legal Clinic. We might be able to help. You can call us at 604-673-3143 or toll-free at 1-888-685-6222. You can also complete our Intake Form and email it to us at SHARPWorkplaces@clasbc.net.

If you are interested in learning more about sexual harassment, SHARP Workplaces has free resources for workers and employers and offers free training sessions for non-profit organizations and small businesses. Find out more about the free training available at https://sharpworkplaces.org/training/.

Photo by Nick Morrison on Unsplash.

NOTICE: SHARP Workplaces Legal Advice Clinic ceased providing legal services in March 2024 due to an end of funding, and is NOW CLOSED. 

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