Workers Compensation Board of Prince Edward Island

Workplace Harassment


Workplace Harassment Online Course

Video - Workplace Harassment, Are you in Compliance?


Every worker has a right to a healthy and safe workplace. To achieve this, employers and workers play a contributing role in creating and maintaining a positive and respectful work environment.

Workplace harassment can take many forms, including verbal aggression, personal attacks, and other intimidating behaviours. Workplace harassment can undermine a person’s dignity and when not addressed it can lead to negative outcomes including:
  • Increased risk of accidents and incidents
  • Increased absenteeism
  • Increased turnover
  • Increased stress
  • Decreased productivity and motivation
  • Decreased morale
  • Poor customer service
  • Costly legal expenses
All PEI workplaces must comply with the Workplace Harassment Regulations. The Occupational Health and Safety Act and Workplace Harassment Regulations outline the rights and responsibilities for employers, workers, contractors and all other parties present at the workplace.

Learn more about workplace harassment:

Legislation: Guides: Fact Sheets: Printable Posters:

Psychological Safety

Given that an average Canadian worker spends 30-40 hours per week at work, it is important to maintain a psychologically healthy and safe workplace. Employers must take all reasonable actions in creating and maintaining psychologically healthy and safe workplaces. A psychologically safe workplace encourages, recognizes and rewards individuals for their contributions and ideas, by making workers feel safe when taking interpersonal risks. In practice, psychological safety at work means making sure:
  • Your work culture, i.e. norms, values, ethics, and practices, promotes and fosters inclusivity, fairness, respect, civility and kindness. For example:
    • Difficult situations like conflicts, grief and failure, are addressed in a timely fashion with compassion as well as confidentiality and safety in mind.
    • Incentives and rewards encourage positive, supportive behaviors and alignment with the values noted above.
    • Disrespect isn’t tolerated in any form and all staff are empowered to speak up if they observe disrespect.
  • Training is conducted on respectful workplaces and how to put a stop to bullying, harassment, discrimination, and unhealthy conflicts as well as how to recognize the signs of psychological stressors.
  • Ongoing communication takes place regarding the resources and supports available to enhance psychological safety at work and at home, as well as the expectations around being a psychologically safe workplace.
  • There are formal programs to support psychological safety such as an employee family assistance plan, mandatory time off or rest periods, open two-way communication, and social and community building activities and events.
The National Standard of Canada for Psychological Health and Safety in the Workplace is a set of voluntary guidelines, tools to guide organizations in promoting mental health and preventing psychological harm at work. The Standard provides a comprehensive framework to help organizations with their current and future efforts in a way that provide the best return on investment.

Learn more about the Standard: Adopting the Standard can help organizations with:
  • Productivity
  • Financial Performance
  • Risk Management
  • Organizational Recruitment
  • Worker Retention
Learn more about psychological health and safety:

Guides: Fact Sheets: External Resources: If you would like to learn more about other health and safety matters in your workplace, please contact us or visit our resources webpage.