Workplace harassment and violence prevention for non-Defence Team persons

Entering a DND/CAF workplace

DND/CAF has robust programs that prevent workplace harassment and violence that applies to the Defence Team and any person granted access to the workplace. This includes contractors, visitors, and other federal public service employees from co-located departments or organizations.

What is workplace harassment and violence?

Workplace harassment and violence is any action, conduct or comment, including of a sexual nature, that can reasonably be expected to cause offence, humiliation or other physical or psychological injury or illness to an employee/member, including any prescribed action, conduct or comment.

Examples of harassment and violence

The following is a non-exhaustive list:

• aggressive or threatening behaviour, including verbal threats or discriminatory microaggressions
• physical assault
• spreading malicious rumours or gossip about an individual or a group
• socially excluding or isolating someone
• persistently criticizing, undermining, belittling, demeaning or ridiculing someone
• swearing at someone or using inappropriate language toward them such as racial or discriminatory stereotypes and slurs
• using the Internet to harass, threaten or maliciously embarrass someone, to make sexual threats, or to harass or exploit someone sexually
• abusing authority by publicly ridiculing or disciplining a subordinate, by soliciting a sexual or romantic relationship from a subordinate, or making social invitations with sexual overtones to a subordinate
• making abusive or derogatory remarks or jokes about someone's gender, gender identity or gender expression, sex or sexual orientation, race, racial identity, ethnicity or ethnicities

Everyone deserves to work in a safe workplace free from harassment and violence. To keep everyone safe, harassment and violence is not tolerated, condoned or ignored.

How do I report it?

• I am a contractor:

  Report the occurrence to your contracting authority and company supervisor/manager.

• I am visiting from/working for another federal department:

  Submit a Notice of Occurrence form through your department.

• I am visiting/working but not a federal employee:

  Report the occurrence to your DND/CAF escort or manager.

• I am a witness

  Report the occurrence to your DND/CAF escort or manager.

If you witness workplace harassment and violence you can report it verbally by calling 1-833-451-1604 or in writing by submitting the Notice of Occurrence form by email.

For more information visit the DND/CAF WHVP program website

Visit the DND/CAF Workplace Harassment and Violence Prevention (WHVP) program website or contact the WHVP Center of Expertise by email or by phone at 1-833-451-1604.

Conduct and culture change

For resources and information about preventing and reporting misconduct, initiatives to change the culture, programs to support equity and diversity, and ethical standards in the Department of National Defence (DND) and the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) visit: https://www.canada.ca/en/department-national-defence/services/conduct-and-culture.html.