University of Toronto
Governing Council
Policy with Respect to Workplace Violence
May 13, 2010
(amended February 2, 2022)
To request an official copy of this policy, contact:
The Office of the Governing Council
Room 106, Simcoe Hall
27 King’s College Circle
University of Toronto
Toronto, Ontario
M5S 1A1
Phone: 416-978-6576
Fax: 416-978-8182
E-mail: governing.council@utoronto.ca
Website: http://www.governingcouncil.utoronto.ca/
POLICY WITH RESPECT TO WORKPLACE VIOLENCE
The University of Toronto is committed to maintaining a workplace that is free of violence. Any act of workplace violence is unacceptable conduct that will not be tolerated. No one shall subject any employee to workplace violence or allow or create conditions that support workplace violence.
This Policy applies to activities that occur while on University of Toronto premises and to work-related activities or social events occurring off-campus. Conduct that occurs online can constitute workplace violence.
If you are the victim of or a witness to a violent incident at work, as soon as safely possible contact:
- Campus Police at:
- 416-978-2222 (St. George)
- 416-287-7333 (UTSC)
- 905-569-4333 (UTM)
or
- 911 (9-911 from a campus telephone)
You may also contact the Community Safety Office at 416-978-1485 to discuss safety concerns.
If you are the victim of or a witness to a incident of sexual violence at work, you may also contact the Sexual Violence Prevention and Support Centre at 416-978-2266 to discuss available services and supports and options for making a formal report to the University and/or to Police.
What is workplace violence?
Workplace violence is defined in the Occupational Health and Safety Act as follows:
"Workplace violence" means,
- the exercise of physical force by a person against a worker, in a workplace, that causes or could cause physical injury to the worker.
- an attempt to exercise physical force against a worker, in a workplace, that could cause physical injury to the worker,
- a statement or behaviour that it is reasonable for a worker to interpret as a threat to exercise physical force against the worker, in a workplace, that could cause physical injury to the worker.
Workplace violence may constitute sexual violence. Please refer to the University of Toronto Policy on Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment http://www.governingcouncil.lamp4.utoronto.ca/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/p1215-poshsv-2016-2017pol.pdf or contact the Sexual Violence Prevention and Support Centre at 416-978- 2266 or thesvpcentre@utoronto.ca.
Penalty
An employee who subjects another employee to workplace violence may be subject to disciplinary action up to and including the termination of their employment.
A student who subjects any employee to workplace violence will be subject to penalties under the Code of Student Conduct.
Others who subject any employee to workplace harassment will be subject to penalties that are appropriate in view of their relationship to the University.
Program
The University has developed and maintains a Workplace Violence Program to implement this Policy which can be found online at https://ehs.utoronto.ca/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/U-of-T-Workplace-Violence-Program.pdf
Related Documents
In applying this Policy, the University is committed to acting conscientiously and in keeping with applicable legislation as well as its own policies and guidelines. These include, for example:
- Ontario Occupational Health and Safety Act
- Ontario Human Rights Code
- University of Toronto Code of Student Conduct
- University of Toronto Policy on Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment
- University of Toronto Workplace Violence Program
- University of Toronto Workplace Harassment Program (Guideline for Employees on Concerns and Complaints Regarding Prohibited Discrimination and Discriminatory Harassment (“Discrimination Guideline”) and Human Resources Guideline on Workplace Harassment and Civil Conduct (“Civility Guideline”))
- University of Toronto Policy on Crisis and Routine Emergency Preparedness and Response
- University of Toronto Statement on Human Rights
- University of Toronto Statement of Institutional Purpose
- University of Toronto Statement on Prohibited Discrimination and Discriminatory Harassment
May 13, 2010, approved by Governing Council
Amended October 26, 2017
Amended April 2, 2020
Amended February 2, 2022
Last annual review conducted: January 2024
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