Workplace harassment policy for Northwest Territories: the rules and a free template
Northwest Territories employers must, after consulting their joint occupational health and safety committee or safety representative, develop and put in place a written harassment policy. The regulations list what the policy must include. The WSCC's Harassment Code of Practice gives practical guidance on writing the policy and handling complaints; it is not binding on its own, but following it can be accepted as evidence of safe practice.
What the law requires in Northwest Territories
| The law | Safety Act and the Occupational Health and Safety Regulations, Part 3, including section 34 (harassment) |
|---|---|
| In force | Regulations in force since 1 June 2015. The WSCC Harassment Code of Practice took effect on 29 March 2019. |
| Who it applies to | All employers in the Northwest Territories except federally regulated employers. |
| Investigations | Your policy must describe how complaints are raised and how the complainant and the alleged harasser will be told the results of an investigation. The Code of Practice says formal complaints should be in writing and signed, investigators should be trained and interview witnesses separately, and investigations should be finished without unnecessary delay. |
| Training | Employers must make sure workers and supervisors are adequately trained in what they need to know to protect their health, safety and welfare. The Code of Practice suggests training everyone who receives, investigates or resolves complaints, and having supervisors go over the policy during orientation. |
| Review | We did not confirm a set review schedule in the law. Reviewing the policy at least once a year, and after any complaint, is good practice. |
What your written policy must include
- A definition of harassment
- A statement that each worker is entitled to work free of harassment
- A commitment to make reasonable efforts to prevent harassment
- A commitment to take corrective action respecting anyone who subjects a worker to harassment
- How a worker can bring a complaint to your attention
- Confidentiality
- The procedure you will follow to tell the complainant and the alleged harasser the results of an investigation
Human rights law also applies
Harassment related to a protected ground can also be a human rights issue for the Northwest Territories 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 Northwest Territories employer need a written harassment policy?
Yes. The Occupational Health and Safety Regulations require employers, after consulting their joint committee or safety representative, to develop and put in place a written harassment policy. This applies to all employers in the territory except federally regulated ones.
Is the WSCC Harassment Code of Practice the law?
Not on its own. The policy requirement is in the regulations. The Code of Practice is guidance, but following it can be accepted as evidence of safe practice.
Official sources
- WSCC, Harassment Code of Practice (Northwest Territories and Nunavut)
- Northwest Territories, Occupational Health and Safety Regulations (Safety Act)
- WSCC, New Occupational Health and Safety Regulations: it's the law in the Northwest Territories
- WSCC, Codes of practice
- Northwest Territories 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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