Nova Scotia legislature adopts workplace harassment policy

It won't affect the way they act on the floor of the House, but MLAs will soon have to adhere to a new harassment policy that is a first for the Nova Scotia legislature. 

The policy will apply to elected members, staff and even party volunteers when their work involves elected officials.

It will take effect when the lieutenant-governor closes off the spring sitting, which will likely be Friday.

The policy is part of an amendment to the House of Assembly Act that passed unanimously Thursday afternoon, when MLAs waived the normal law-making process, including sending the bill to the law amendments committee for public comment.

No public input

Government House Leader Michel Samson and his counterpart in the Official Opposition, Chris d'Entremont, agreed it could bypass public input because the policy won't affect the public in any way, even visitors to Province House. 

The policy defines harassment as "any behavior, act, conduct or comment, whether sexual in nature or not, whether occurring on a one-time or recurring basis ... that the person knew or ought to have known:

• would be unwelcome and cause harm and offence
• would demean, belittle, intimidate, threaten, distress, humiliate or embarrass
• would affect a person's reputation
• would endanger a person's job, undermine job performances, threaten economic livelihood or interfere with one's career."

There are three other factors that relate to discrimination, bullying or cyberbullying as they are defined by other provincial laws.

Detailed complaints process

The policy outlines a series of measures and steps for laying a complaint, depending on who is laying the complaint or who is at fault.

The process is supposed to take no more than six months to complete after an investigation is completed by the ombudsman's office. If an MLA is found to be at fault, the House has the ultimate say when it comes to punishment, which could include expulsion.