Written by Angela Leung, Intake/Project Coordinator, SHARP Workplaces at Community Legal Assistance Society

It has been a year and a half since SHARP Workplaces Legal Advice Clinic opened its doors to clients, just one day before the pandemic began. As Intake Coordinator since the clinic opened, I’ve spoken to a number of clients. Reflecting back, here are some of my main takeaways.

Nobody wants to talk to you or need you.

Nobody wants to experience sexual harassment in the workplace. Nobody wants to need legal advice. Most people won’t seek legal advice after “just” one or two incidents of sexual harassment. By the time someone decides to call SHARP Workplaces, they’ve often already experienced a great deal of trauma and they are at their limits. It takes a lot of courage to make the initial call and it’s always a privilege to speak to a client and to have them trust me with their story.

Everyone needs to be heard and be believed.

While each of our clients and their experiences are unique, there are some common themes. They may have tried to speak with coworkers, their human resources department, management, family, or friends about their situation, but instead of receiving support, they were told that this is just the way it is. Or they were told that they are being too sensitive. Sometimes our call is the first time a client has ever been heard or believed. It’s important for everybody to know that sexual harassment is not a part of any job. Everybody is entitled to a safe and harassment-free workplace. We’re not here to judge or doubt anybody’s experience. We’re here to support our clients and give them legal advice.

There’s always options.

There are legal options as well as workplace options for addressing workplace sexual harassment. A client might be able to file a complaint with the BC Human Rights Tribunal, WorkSafeBC or the Employment Standards Board. It’s also possible for a client to talk to their human resources department, management, or a union representative. The options available to a client are always specific to their situation. Our lawyers provide our clients with the pros and cons of each of their options based on their ideal outcome so that they can make an informed decision about what’s best for them. Sometimes the best option for them is to do nothing. That’s okay. We are here to support whatever choice they make for themselves.

 Documenting Everything is key.

Regardless of what a client decides to do, they should always document any incidents of workplace sexual harassment. Making note of what happened, when it happened and the impact it had on them can be of great assistance to clients in the future. It may seem obvious or like someone would never forget it, but most options require a detailed timeline of the events that happened to the individual. Taking a few minutes to document the incident can save a client a lot of time and headache later.

Final Thoughts

The pandemic has provided an opportunity for many of us to reflect on our lives and our work. Sometimes we think that bullying and harassment “isn’t so bad” but over time, it takes a toll on both a person’s physical and mental health. When I began working for SHARP Workplaces, I was worried that it would be upsetting to hear all these cases of sexual harassment. While it can be difficult to hear the struggle our clients have gone through, it’s also been inspiring to see their resilience. Often, our clients are coming forward to seek not only justice for themselves but also to prevent the same thing from happening to others. It has been very rewarding to be a part of their journey and to see some of them finding their justice and achieving closure. If you or someone you know is experiencing workplace sexual harassment, contact our SHARP Workplaces Legal Advice Clinic at SHARPWorkplaces@clasbc.net or 604-673-3143 to find out how we can help.

If you’re an employer wanting to learn more about what you can do to prevent workplace sexual harassment, check out some of the free public legal education information resource at https://sharpworkplaces.org/. You can also sign up for free training sessions if you’re a small business or a non-profit organization.

Image is by Sixteen Miles Out 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.