Anti-Harassment & Safety Policy

Objective

The Toronto Sound Festival is committed to an environment in which all individuals are treated with respect and dignity. Each individual has the right to participate in a professional atmosphere that promotes equal learning and participation opportunities and prohibits unlawful discriminatory practices, including harassment. Therefore, the Toronto Sound Festival expects that all participants will act professionally and free of bias, prejudice and harassment.

The Toronto Sound Festival has developed this policy to ensure that everyone can be in an environment free from unlawful harassment, discrimination and retaliation. The Toronto Sound Festival has posted these policies to ensure that all concerned are familiar with these policies and are aware that any complaint in violation of such policies will be investigated and resolved appropriately.

These policies should not, and may not, be used as a basis for excluding or separating individuals of a particular gender, or any other protected characteristic, from participating in business or work-related social activities or discussions. In other words, no one should make the mistake of engaging in discrimination or exclusion to avoid allegations of harassment. The law and the policies of the Toronto Sound Festival prohibit disparate treatment on the basis of sex or any other protected characteristic, with regard to terms, conditions, privileges and perquisites of employment. The prohibitions against harassment, discrimination and retaliation are intended to complement and further those policies, not to form the basis of an exception to them.

Equal employment opportunity

It is the policy of the Toronto Sound Festival to ensure equal opportunity without discrimination or harassment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, disability, marital status, citizenship, national origin, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by law. The Toronto Sound Festival prohibits any such discrimination or harassment.

Retaliation

The Toronto Sound Festival encourages reporting of all perceived incidents of discrimination or harassment. It is the policy of the Toronto Sound Festival to promptly and thoroughly investigate such reports. The Toronto Sound Festival prohibits retaliation against any individual who reports discrimination or harassment or participates in an investigation of such reports.

Sexual harassment

Sexual harassment constitutes discrimination and is illegal under federal, provincial, and local laws. For the purposes of this policy, “sexual harassment” is defined as unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favours, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature when, for example: a) submission to such conduct is made either explicitly or implicitly a term or condition of an individual’s employment, b) submission to or rejection of such conduct by an individual is used as the basis for employment decisions affecting such individual, or c) such conduct has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with an individual’s work performance or creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive working environment.

The law recognizes two types of sexual harassment: a) quid pro quo and b) hostile work environment. Sexual harassment may include a range of subtle and not-so-subtle behaviours and may involve individuals of the same or different gender. Depending on the circumstances, these behaviours may include unwanted sexual advances or requests for sexual favours; sexual jokes and innuendo; verbal abuse of a sexual nature; commentary about an individual’s body, sexual prowess or sexual deficiencies; leering, whistling or touching; insulting or obscene comments or gestures; display in the workplace of sexually suggestive objects or pictures; and other physical, verbal or visual conduct of a sexual nature.

Harassment

Harassment on the basis of any other protected characteristic is also strictly prohibited. Under this policy, harassment is verbal, written or physical conduct that denigrates or shows hostility or aversion toward an individual because of his or her race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, disability, marital status, citizenship, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by law, or that of his or her relatives, friends or associates, and that: a) has the purpose or effect of creating an intimidating, hostile or offensive work environment, b) has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with an individual’s work performance, or c) otherwise adversely affects an individual’s employment opportunities.

Harassing conduct includes epithets, slurs or negative stereotyping; threatening, intimidating or hostile acts; denigrating jokes; and written or graphic material that denigrates or shows hostility or aversion toward an individual or group that is placed on walls or elsewhere on the employer’s premises or circulated in the workplace, on company time or using company equipment by e-mail, phone (including voice messages), text messages, social networking sites or other means.

Individuals and Conduct Covered

These policies apply to all applicants and employees, whether related to conduct engaged in by fellow employees or by someone not directly connected to The Toronto Sound Festival (e.g., an outside vendor, consultant, or customer).

Conduct prohibited by these policies is unacceptable in the workplace and in any work-related setting outside the workplace, such as during business trips, business meetings, and business-related social events.

Reporting an Incident of Harassment, Discrimination or Retaliation

The Toronto Sound Festival encourages reporting of all perceived incidents of discrimination, harassment, or retaliation, regardless of the offender’s identity or position. Individuals who believe that they have been the victim of such conduct should discuss their concerns with their immediate supervisor, any member of the Toronto Sound Festival.

In addition, The Toronto Sound Festival encourages individuals who believe they are being subjected to such conduct to promptly advise the offender that his or her behaviour is unwelcome and to request that it be discontinued. Often this action alone will resolve the problem. The Toronto Sound Festival recognizes, however, that an individual may prefer to pursue the matter through complaint procedures.

Complaint Procedure

Individuals who believe they have been the victims of conduct prohibited by this policy or believe they have witnessed such conduct should discuss their concerns with the Toronto Sound Festival.

The Toronto Sound Festival encourages the prompt reporting of complaints or concerns so that rapid and constructive action can be taken before relationships become irreparably strained. Therefore, while no fixed reporting period has been established, early reporting and intervention have proven to be the most effective method of resolving actual or perceived incidents of harassment.

Any reported allegations of harassment, discrimination or retaliation will be investigated promptly. The investigation may include individual interviews with the parties involved and, where necessary, with individuals who may have observed the alleged conduct or may have other relevant knowledge.

When possible the Toronto Sound Festival will maintain confidentiality throughout the investigatory process to the extent consistent with adequate investigation and appropriate corrective action.

Retaliation against an individual for reporting harassment or discrimination or for participating in an investigation of a claim of harassment or discrimination is a serious violation of this policy and, like harassment or discrimination itself, will be subject to disciplinary action. Acts of retaliation should be reported immediately and will be promptly investigated and addressed.

Misconduct constituting harassment, discrimination or retaliation will be dealt with appropriately. Responsive action may include, the offender being removed from the premises, as The Toronto Sound Festival believes appropriate under the circumstances.