If you feel you are the subject of harassment or discrimination and would like to meet with one of our advisors, you can first complete our Case Resolution Request form, which is available on our portal. If you prefer, you can also contact the HRO at [email protected].  

To better understand the situation, we will ask you to provide details of the incident(s), including:

• What happened?
• Who is involved?
• When did it happen?
• Where did it happen?
• Were there witnesses?

This information will help us gain a first understanding of the situation and initiate the next step. 

At this stage, the HRO will review your Case Resolution Request form and any relevant supporting documentation to determine if the following criteria have been met:
 

1. Your complaint establishes a prima facie case of harassment or discrimination.
2. Your complaint is filed within 12 months of the last occurrence of discrimination or harassment, as required by Policy 67a. 

Prima facie means: if the allegations made are presumed to be true, it would justify a finding of discrimination or harassment.

If your complaint does not include enough information, the HRO may ask you for more information or indicate that there is not enough information to move forward.

If your complaint appears to fall outside the scope of Policy 67a, based on the information you provided, the HRO can not proceed with your complaint. The HRO can then recommend other problem-solving options or refer you to other University resources, such as your faculty, Human Resources, your union, the Ombudsperson, etc. 

If your complaint appears to fall within the scope of Policy 67a, you can request an informal resolution option.

An informal resolution process is a voluntary conflict resolution method where parties resolve disputes through, for example, open communication, without a formal procedure.

Here are some of the possible informal resolution options:

1. With the support of the HRO, you may address the concerns with the respondent (i.e., the other person(s) involved in the complaint), where appropriate.
2. You can request mediation or other alternative resolution options.

Mediation is a process in which two parties (you and the respondent) try to resolve the complaint with the help of a neutral third party (the HRO or an external mediator).
 

If your complaint appears to fall within the scope of Policy 67a, you can request a formal resolution option.

You can choose to proceed with a formal resolution process at any time, including if an informal resolution option fails. 

The first step is to send a summary of the complaint and any supporting documents to the respondent involved. The respondent can respond to the complaint in writing, within ten (10) working days of receiving the summary. If the respondent does not provide a response, the process will continue regardless. 

The HRO will inform the appropriate authority (i.e., the person in a position of authority over the respondent) of the receipt of a formal complaint.

Once the HRO has received your initial complaint and any response(s), the HRO will assess all the information to determine: 

1. If it does not consist of harassment or discrimination
2. If it would benefit from mediation
3. If it requires investigation

You and the respondent will be informed of the assessment in writing once the HRO has completed the assessment. If the complaint requires no further action, the HRO will close the file.

If the HRO decides that the complaint is outside the scope of Policy 67a, and you disagree with this decision, you may ask the HRO director to review the assessment.  

The HRO director’s decision is final and will be sent to you and to the respondent in writing.

If the HRO decides that the complaint requires investigation, an HRO investigator or external investigator will be assigned. At that point, the investigator may contact potential witnesses.   

Once the investigator has completed their investigation, they will send a copy of the confidential Final Investigation Report to you, to the respondent, and to the appropriate authority.

The appropriate authority will review the Final Investigation Report. When the report indicates that Policy 67a has been breached, the appropriate authority will decide on the imposition of any necessary remedial measures. The appropriate authority will follow up with everyone involved, as needed.

Here are examples of possible remedial measures:

1. A letter of apology
2. Participation in educational sessions on harassment and discrimination
3. Participation in coaching sessions to improve communication or conflict resolution skills
4. Prohibited or restricted access to University campuses
5. Disciplinary measures, such as reprimand, suspension, dismissal or expulsion

When the report indicates that Policy 67a has not been breached, no remedial measures will be imposed.