Anti-Harassment Policy and Procedures

Policy Statement

The Otakuthon Cultural Society (OCS) is committed to fostering a harassment-free workplace where all of its staff and volunteers are treated with respect and dignity.

The Canadian Human Rights Act and the Charter of Human Rights and Freedoms protect people from harassment based on race, national or ethnic origin, colour, religion, age, sex, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, family status, disability or pardoned conviction.  

Harassment at Otakuthon is not tolerated. Staff and volunteers who are found to have harassed another individual may be subject to disciplinary action. This includes any staff and volunteers who : 

• interferes with the resolution of a harassment complaint; 
• retaliates against an individual for filing a harassment complaint;
• files an unfounded harassment complaint intended to cause harm. 

Application 

This policy applies to all current staff and volunteers of Otakuthon, regardless of their rank, from general volunteers, support staff, staff, managers and so on. 

This policy applies to all behaviour that is in some way connected to Otakuthon, including during off-site meetings, training, in online communications and on business trips. 

Definitions 

Harassment is : 

• offending or humiliating someone physically or verbally;  
• threatening or intimidating someone; 
• making unwelcome jokes or comments about someone’s race, national or ethnic origin, colour, religion, age, sex, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, family status, disability or pardoned conviction. 

Sexual harassment is defined as conduct that is: 

• offensive or humiliating based on a person’s sex or gender;  
• sexual in nature, creating an intimidating, hostile, unwelcome, or offensive work environment; 
• sexual in nature and could reasonably be perceived as a condition of employment or of access to professional opportunities.

Responsibilities and Expectations 

Otakuthon is responsible for :  

• providing all staff and volunteers a harassment-free environment.

The HR director is responsible for :  

• ensuring that this policy is applied in a timely, consistent and confidential manner;  
• determining whether or not allegations of harassment are substantiated;  
• determining what corrective action is appropriate where a harassment complaint has been substantiated. 

The HR Vice President is responsible for : 

• ensuring the proper administration of this policy;   
• reviewing this policy annually, or as required; 
• making necessary adjustments to ensure that this policy meets the needs of the organization. 

Management is responsible for : 

• fostering a harassment-free environment and setting an example about appropriate public behaviour;  
• communicating the process for investigating and resolving harassment complaints made by staff and volunteers;  
• dealing with harassment situations immediately upon becoming aware of them, whether or not a harassment complaint has been made; 
• taking appropriate action during a harassment investigation, including separating the parties to the harassment complaint, when appropriate; 
• ensuring harassment situations are dealt with in a sensitive and confidential manner.

Staff are responsible for : 

• treating others with respect during the convention;  
• reporting harassment to their direct supervisor (or HR director if needed); 
• cooperating with a harassment investigation and respecting the confidentiality related to the investigation process.

Staff can expect to :  

• be treated with respect before, during and after the convention;
• have harassment complaints handled in a timely, confidential and effective manner;   
• have their rights to a fair process and to confidentiality respected during a harassment investigation;
• be protected against retaliation for reporting harassment or cooperating with a harassment investigation. 

Procedures for Addressing a Harassment Complaint 

Filing a Complaint 

Staff and volunteers may file a harassment complaint by contacting the HR director. The complaint may be verbal or in writing. A form may be provided to help structure the complaint and gather the details.

Complaints should be made as soon as possible but no later than one (1) year after the last incident of perceived harassment, unless there are circumstances that prevented the staff or volunteer from doing so. 

The HR director will inform the concerned party that an harassment complaint has been made against them, in writing, as well as provide details of the allegations that have been made against them.

Every effort will be made to answer harassment complaints within two (2) weeks and resolve the situation within a timely manner . The complexity of the situation, the availability of the parties involved (complainant, respondent, third party, etc.) and required for the mediation or investigation may delay the process.

If either party to a harassment complaint believes that the complaint is not being handled in accordance with this policy, or in the absence of an HR Director, they may contact the HR Vice President instead.

Mediation

Mediation is voluntary and confidential. It is intended to assist the parties to arrive at a mutually acceptable resolution to the harassment complaint. After receiving the complaint, the HR director will invite the relevant parties to an open discussion. 

The mediator will be a neutral person, agreed upon by both parties. A direct supervisor may be invited to mediate if the presence of a human resources department staff is not required.

The goal of the mediation process is to have an open communication between the parties to explore potential solutions and reach a mutually agreeable resolution, rather than proceeding to a formal investigation.

Investigation

If mediation is inappropriate or does not resolve the issue, a harassment investigation can be conducted by the Human Resources Department. All investigations will be handled by an individual who has the necessary training and experience, as well as be devoid of bias. In some cases, an external party might be involved.

The investigator will interview the person who made the complaint, the person the complaint was made against and any witnesses that have been identified. Their interview or written account will be collected in a form (statement). All people who are interviewed will have the right to review their statement, as recorded by the investigator, to ensure its accuracy. 

Remedies for the employee who was harassed may include: an oral or written apology;a referral to external sources for help; and compensation for any lost staff benefits due to their absence as a consequence of their harassment. 

Corrective action for the staff found to have engaged in harassment will be dealt with according to the disciplinary actions available within the organization. Please refer to the Disciplinary Actions Policy (OTK-HR-03).

Both parties to the complaint will be advised, in writing, of the decision.

Privacy and Confidentiality 

All parties to a harassment complaint are expected to respect the privacy and confidentiality of all other parties involved and to limit the discussion of a harassment complaint to those that need to know. 

Otakuthon and all individuals involved in the harassment complaint process, will comply with all requirements of the Privacy Policy to protect personal information. 

Policy Review 

Otakuthon will review this policy and procedures on an annual basis, or as required, and will make necessary adjustments to ensure that it meets the needs of the organization. 

Enquiries 

Enquiries about this policy and related procedures can be made to the HR Director at hr@otakuthon.com.

Created On : 10/11/2024

Last Updated On : 26/05/2025