FAQs for Staff and Faculty

If I am being bullied by my supervisor, who do I turn to for assistance? Is there an impartial individual outside of my own department that I may contact?

Where there is concern about conflict of interest, faculty and staff should contact their employee association, union, or Human Resources.

If I experience or witness personal harassment, who should I report this to?

Faculty or staff who have concerns about personal harassment should contact their direct supervisor or Administrative Head of Unit.  Where the issue is not resolved or there is concern about conflict of interest, faculty and staff should contact their employee association, union, or Human Resources.

What constitutes “personal harassment”?

Personal harassment is objectionable and unwanted behaviour that is verbally or physically abusive, vexatious or hostile, that is without reasonable justification, and that creates a hostile or intimidating environment for working, learning or living. Personal harassment may be intentional or unintentional. While personal harassment usually consists of repeated acts, a single serious incident that has a lasting harmful effect may constitute personal harassment.

Personal harassment behaviour includes persistent demeaning or intimidating comments, gestures or conduct; threats to a person’s employment or educational status, person or property;  persistent comments or conduct, including ostracism or exclusion of a person, that undermines an individual’s self-esteem so as to compromise their ability to achieve work or study goals;  unwarranted and excessive supervision or criticism of an individual; abuse of power, authority or position; sabotage of a person’s work; hazing; spreading of malicious rumours or lies; or making malicious or vexatious complaints about a person.

What constitutes “bullying”?

Our Respectful Environment Statement makes no distinction between personal harassment, psychological harassment and bullying:

“Personal harassment is objectionable and unwanted behaviour that is verbally or physically abusive, vexatious or hostile, that is without reasonable justification, and that creates a hostile or intimidating environment for working, learning or living. Personal harassment may be intentional or unintentional. While personal harassment usually consists of repeated acts, a single serious incident that has a lasting harmful effect may constitute personal harassment.

Personal harassment behaviour includes persistent demeaning or intimidating comments, gestures or conduct; threats to a person’s employment or educational status, person or property;  persistent comments or conduct, including ostracism or exclusion of a person, that undermines an individual’s self-esteem so as to compromise their ability to achieve work or study goals;  unwarranted and excessive supervision or criticism of an individual; abuse of power, authority or position; sabotage of a person’s work; hazing; spreading of malicious rumours or lies; or making malicious or vexatious complaints about a person.”

What are the University’s policies on discrimination and harassment?

Matters relating to discrimination or harassment based on age, ancestry, colour,  family status, marital status, physical or mental disability, place of origin, political belief, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, and criminal conviction unrelated to employment are addressed in Policy #3, the UBC Policy on Discrimination and Harassment.

What is the role of the Equity Office?

To address concerns that may constitute complaints under Policy #3, the UBC Policy on Discrimination and Harassment.