The University of Toronto aims to foster an inclusive workplace environment where all members of our community feel they belong, are respected, and can thrive. Workplace harassment and discrimination in any form are unacceptable and unwelcome at the University.

Policy Framework

All University of Toronto faculty, librarians, and staff work under a common set of workplace conduct policies and guidelines, as set out below. These workplace policies and guidelines are available online:

• Policy with Respect to Workplace Harassment and the associated Workplace Harassment Program guidelines:
  • Guideline for Employees on Concerns and Complaints Regarding Prohibited Discrimination and Discriminatory Harassment (Discrimination Guideline)
  • Human Resources Guideline on Workplace Harassment and Civil Conduct (Civility Guideline)
• Policy with Respect to Workplace Violence and the associated Workplace Violence Program
• Policy on Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment
• Accommodation Guidelines for Employees with Disabilities

These policies and guidelines set out the University’s expectations of behaviour and conduct, and outline the processes used when community members bring forward concerns and complaints.

Raising a Concern or Complaint

If you are experiencing workplace incivility, harassment, or discrimination, you may raise it with the University by contacting any of the University’s 13 Divisional HR Offices or any of the University’s equity offices on the St. George, UTM, and UTSC campuses. You may approach whichever HR office or Equity Professional you are most comfortable speaking with, even if they are not a part of your local Divisional HR Office. A list of offices and their contact information is set out below. Faculty members may also raise concerns and complaints with their Office of the Dean.

All employees may also seek support or file a formal complaint via the University’s Workplace Investigations Office.

If you are experiencing sexual violence or sexual harassment, you may raise it with the Sexual Violence Prevention & Support Centre. The contact information for this office is also listed below.

All concerns and complaints will be treated confidentially, and support offered. There are to be no reprisals for raising a concern or complaint.

Accommodation

The University of Toronto recognizes its obligation to prevent discriminatory impacts on members of its community that arise from the failure to accommodate based on disability, religion/creed, and family status (i.e., primary caregiving responsibilities for parent/guardian or child). The duty to accommodate is made up of several overlapping and mutually reinforcing principles, including respect for dignity, individualization, integration, and full participation, as well as inclusive design.

Employees are encouraged to communicate accommodation needs to their immediate manager, supervisor, Chair, Director, or Dean. You may also contact your local Human Resources representative. It is the responsibility of both the University and the individual seeking accommodations to work cooperatively and respectfully to explore and implement appropriate accommodation options.

All employees of the University community can connect with the offices listed below for accommodation or support.

Reporting Vandalism

We are committed to providing an inclusive environment for everyone at the University of Toronto. This includes the physical spaces in which we learn and work. Providing an inclusive environment for everyone in our community means ensuring our physical spaces remain free from hateful messages, including racist or homophobic slurs, sexist language, or other discriminatory comments. Please report any vandalism or graffiti to Campus Safety, the Institutional Equity Office, the UTM Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Office, or the UTSC Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Office.

Available Resources

We encourage anyone concerned about conduct towards them within the context of our community to reach out to one of the resources listed above, or to contact their Divisional HR Representative for more information on available supports. Access to Faculty-level equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) offices and supports can also be obtained by speaking to any of the institutional Equity Offices listed below.

Training

The University provides information on harassment and discrimination related resources to all employees as part of its Basic Health and Safety Awareness Training. All current employees are required to take this training, which is updated periodically. If you have not taken the training or if you would like to refresh your training, you may register to do so.

The University also provides online training on Unconscious Bias that is available to all faculty, librarians, and staff. The first two Unconscious Bias Education Modules introduce information and provide examples of how Unconscious Biases can arise from stereotypes and result in discrimination. The online Unconscious Bias training modules, available via SuccessFactors: Learning, were created at University of Toronto Scarborough (UTSC) in an initiative led by Professor Maydianne Andrade, Department of Biological Sciences at UTSC. EDI learnings are also available through the Centre for Learning, Leadership & Culture.

Additional training on harassment and discrimination is delivered regularly by our institutional Equity offices. You can find this training on the SuccessFactors Learning system, on the Institutional Equity Office Events Calendar, or by contacting any of the offices listed above.

Additional Supports

In addition to the resources provided by our Divisional HR Offices and Equity Offices, staff, faculty, and librarians have access to the Employee & Family Assistance Program (EFAP), offered through LifeWorks. This is a free, confidential counselling service available for staff, faculty, librarians, and their families whenever they need it. You can reach out to LifeWorks directly at any time by calling 1-855-597-2110. Information on the program is available on the People Strategy, Equity & Culture website.