Q: My daughter recently walked off her job because of the verbal abuse she received from her immediate supervisor. Apparently his abuse is acceptable behaviour in the company but I know that it is not right. Rumour has it that the supervisor has more than once abused his wife and that he verbally abused other women who have since left the company. The management of the company just sweeps these problems under the rug and hires replacement workers for those who have left. Something needs to change. Where in Alberta can my daughter go to lay a complaint?
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A: Workplace abuse is in many ways similar to the abuse seen on playgrounds when children are bullying each other around the sandbox. The bully is concerned about his ranking in the social hierarchy and is trying to impress other children.
One of the most effective antidotes to playground bullying is social isolation. In other words, the resolution for bullying is encouraging other children to ignore the bully, leaving him out of group activities. This ultimately confuses and inhibits the bully.
The same is true in the workplace setting. Your daughter’s supervisor is trying to attract someone’s attention. He is not likely to change until his environment changes. The company needs a workplace makeover.
The best option for your daughter is the Human Rights Commission.
With the exception of British Columbia, all Canadian provinces have such commissions. British Columbia has a Human Rights Tribunal that will adjudicate workplace problems but it will not investigate them.
If the commission agrees to help your daughter, it might lead to a workplace study to determine how toxic working conditions are for women employed by the company.
It has the ability to apply sanctions if it thinks that the company needs to be encouraged to add sensitivity to its employee relations programs.
Before your daughter goes to the commission, she should formally document the abuse. The more specific she can be, the easier it is for the commission to do its job.
Her document will be more readily accepted if it ignores rumours of the supervisor abusing his wife and other women. Those are issues for the courts.
She also needs to clarify what she hopes to gain by stepping forward with her concerns. Would she like her job back in the company? Would she like a financial settlement to compensate her for her losses when she had to leave and find other employment? Would she like to see changes that would lead to a more sensitive working environment for everyone?
Nothing is going to change unless your daughter or someone who has been in her position steps up and complains to the right people.
That may seem to be unfair to your daughter but it is a small price to pay for helping your community evolve into a more rewarding and satisfying home for everyone.
