Q: Rampant gossip, and my co-workers sharing fake younger photos of me, is making me very anxious at the office. The stress of it all is also starting to impact my mental health outside of work. How do I address this without being penalized or further ridiculed?
A: A toxic work environment can significantly deteriorate the mental and emotional health of the impacted employee.
That is why Ontario’s Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA) and Ontario’s Human Rights Code (the code) puts the onus on employers to not only recognize instances of workplace harassment in all forms, but to also address it.
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You are specifically experiencing what is legally referred to as a “poisoned environment.”
The OHSA defines workplace harassment as “engaging in a course of vexatious comment or conduct against a worker in a workplace, including virtually through the use of information and communications technology, that is known or ought reasonably to be known to be unwelcome.”
Additionally, the code outlines that every employee has a right to freedom from harassment (due to race; ancestry; place of origin; colour; ethnic origin; citizenship; creed; sex; sexual orientation; gender identity; gender expression; age; record of offences; marital status; family status or disability) in the workplace at the hands of the employer or co-workers.
This means that you are legally entitled to a safe and healthy work environment, and you are protected from being penalized for...
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