Harassment investigation

The fair, private fact-finding an employer does after a harassment complaint or incident, ending in findings, corrective action and a written result.

Also called: workplace investigation, harassment complaint investigation

What harassment investigation means

A harassment investigation is the process you use to find out what happened after someone reports harassment at work, or after you see or hear about it yourself. Someone neutral gathers the facts, hears from both sides and any witnesses, decides what most likely happened, and recommends what to do next.

In most provinces, investigating is not optional. Safety rules require employers to have investigation procedures in their harassment policy and to look into incidents and complaints. A rushed or one-sided investigation can leave a worker unprotected and can be overturned if the decision is challenged later.

An investigation is not a criminal trial, and you do not need proof beyond doubt. A practical question to answer is: based on the evidence, is it more likely than not that the conduct happened, and was it harassment under your policy?

How it works

Choose the investigator first. It should be someone who is not involved and does not supervise either person. In a small business that is often hard, so an outside HR consultant or workplace investigator is common, and it is the safer choice when the complaint is about the owner or a manager.

A typical investigation follows these steps: take the complaint in detail (what, when, where, who saw it); decide whether anyone needs interim protection, such as a schedule change that does not penalize the person who complained; interview the complainant, the person accused and witnesses separately; collect messages, emails, schedules and camera footage; give the accused person a fair chance to respond to each allegation; then write a report with findings and reasons.

Keep it private. Tell people only what they need to know, ask everyone interviewed not to discuss it, and store notes securely. Confidentiality is not absolute, though: you may need to share some details to respond fairly or to take action.

Close the loop. Tell the complainant and the accused person the result and any corrective action, take that action, and check later that the behaviour has stopped and no one is retaliating. Common mistakes are deciding the outcome before the interviews, interviewing people together, skipping the accused person's side, and leaving the complainant to hear nothing for weeks.

Harassment investigation by province

Provinces agree that employers must investigate, but they spell out different details about results and records.

Where the work is done	The rule
British Columbia	WorkSafeBC requires procedures for dealing with incidents and complaints that ensure a reasonable response, and the employer must make sure they are followed.
Alberta	Employers must investigate harassment incidents and prepare a report of the circumstances and the corrective action taken. Keep the report for at least 2 years after the incident.
Saskatchewan	Employers must investigate all incidents of harassment in their workplace.
Manitoba	The harassment prevention policy must explain how complaints are investigated and how both sides are told the outcome. SAFE Work Manitoba does not investigate harassment allegations itself; the employer does.
Ontario	The complainant and the alleged harasser (if a worker of the employer) must be told the results of the investigation and any corrective action in writing. The results are a summary of findings, not the full report. The province's code of practice says to do this within 10 calendar days of the investigation ending.
Nova Scotia	Since 1 September 2025, the written policy must set out investigation procedures and confidentiality, and commit to investigating all complaints and taking corrective action.

We did not confirm investigation details for the remaining provinces, the territories or federally regulated employers for this page.

Example: A complaint about a supervisor in Mississauga

Anil runs a printing shop in Mississauga, Ontario, with 11 staff. A press operator complains that her supervisor makes comments about her weight and texts her after hours. Anil is friends with the supervisor, so he hires an outside investigator.

The investigator interviews the operator, the supervisor and two co-workers, and reviews the texts. She finds the comments and texts happened and were harassment under the policy. The investigation ends on 2 March, and Anil gives the operator and the supervisor a written summary of the findings and the corrective action (a final warning and new reporting lines) on 6 March, inside the 10 days the Ontario code of practice suggests.

Employee records in the Staffkin HR Suite

The Staffkin HR Suite employee records module stores documents against each employee's profile, so investigation outcomes and warnings sit with the right file.

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Questions about harassment investigation

Do I have to investigate if the employee asks me not to?

Usually yes, if what you learned could be harassment. Your duty is to the whole workplace, so explain that you will keep it as private as you can.

Do I have to give the complainant the investigation report?

In Ontario, you must tell them the results in writing, but the results are a summary of findings, not the full report.

Can I do the investigation myself?

You can if you are neutral and not involved. If the complaint is about you, a family member or a close friend, use an outside investigator.

How long should I keep investigation records?

Alberta requires the report to be kept for at least 2 years after the incident. Elsewhere, check your province's rule and keep the file secure.

Official sources

General information for Canadian employers, not legal advice. Rules differ by province and territory and change over time, so check with your provincial employment standards office (or the federal Labour Program if you are federally regulated) before you rely on it. See employment standards by province.

Checked against official sources on 4 November 2026.