Workplace harassment policy for Alberta: the rules and a free template
Alberta employers must have a written violence and harassment prevention plan that is readily available to workers. The plan sets out how you control the hazard, the information you give workers, how workers report, how you investigate, and how you keep information confidential. You must investigate incidents, prepare a report, and review the plan at least every 3 years.
What the law requires in Alberta
| The law | Occupational Health and Safety Act and Occupational Health and Safety Code, Part 27 (violence and harassment), including section 390 (prevention plan) and section 390.7 (review) |
|---|---|
| In force | In force. The current Part 27 rules, amended in December 2024, apply from 31 March 2025. |
| Who it applies to | Employers covered by Alberta's Occupational Health and Safety Act. You develop the plan with your joint health and safety committee or health and safety representative where you have one. The rules we checked do not set a minimum number of employees. |
| Investigations | You must investigate incidents of harassment and violence and prepare a report that sets out the circumstances of the incident and the corrective action taken. Keep the report for at least 2 years after the incident, keep it readily available, and give Alberta OHS a copy if asked. |
| Training | Your plan must give workers information about violence and harassment, and workers must be trained to recognize workplace violence. We did not confirm a set training schedule for harassment. |
| Review | Review the plan at least every 3 years. Also review it after an incident that shows a review is needed, after a change to the work or work site that could affect the potential for violence or harassment, and when your joint committee or health and safety representative asks. Consult the committee, the representative, or affected workers if you have neither, and revise the plan as needed. |
| Records | Keep each harassment or violence investigation report for at least 2 years after the incident, and give Alberta OHS a copy if asked. |
What your written policy must include
- Measures to eliminate or control the hazard of violence and harassment
- Information for workers about violence and harassment
- Procedures for workers to report incidents
- Procedures for investigating incidents, and a commitment to investigate all incidents and take corrective action
- Provisions to protect the confidentiality of everyone involved in a complaint or incident, except where disclosure is needed to investigate, take corrective action or tell the parties the results
Human rights law also applies
Harassment related to a protected ground such as sex, race or disability can also be a human rights issue. In Alberta those complaints go to the Alberta Human Rights Commission.
Key terms: Workplace harassment · Sexual harassment · Workplace violence · Harassment investigation · Psychological harassment (Quebec) · Duty to accommodate · Human rights code (protected grounds)
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Questions
Does a small Alberta business need a written harassment prevention plan?
Yes. Alberta employers need a written violence and harassment prevention plan that is readily available to workers. The rules we checked do not set a minimum number of employees.
How often must I review my harassment prevention plan in Alberta?
At least every 3 years, and also after an incident that shows a review is needed, after a relevant change at work, or when your committee or representative asks.
How long do I keep a harassment investigation report in Alberta?
At least 2 years after the incident. Keep it readily available and give Alberta OHS a copy if asked.
Official sources
- Government of Alberta, Workplace violence and harassment
- Government of Alberta, OHS Code Part 27: Violence and harassment
- Government of Alberta, 2024 change highlights: violence and harassment (OHS Code Part 27)
- Government of Alberta, Violence and harassment in the workplace (2025)
- Alberta Human Rights Commission
General information for Canadian employers, not legal advice. This policy is a starting point: read it, change anything that doesn't fit your workplace, and check it against your province's current rules, or ask an employment lawyer or HR professional to review it. Rules were checked against official sources on 5 November 2026.
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