Free advice available for victims of workplace sexual harassment

Public Legal Education Association of Saskatchewan, an organization aimed at educating the public about the law, will offer free legal advice to people who have experienced sexual harassment in the workplace.

PLEA recently launched the Shift Project, which also has information for workers, employers and unions as well as information related to human rights, workers' compensation and civil and criminal remedies. The project is funded by the federal Department of Justice through the Sexual Harassment in the Workplace Fund.

The Shift Project website includes an option to apply to meet with a lawyer for up to four hours of free legal advice. The free service doesn't include legal representation. People seeking representation are referred to lawyers who do not work for the organization but have received training from PLEA on issues related to workplace sexual harassment.

Hilary Peterson, legal program co-ordinator with PLEA, said the organization has received calls from people with issues in the workplace who are unsure where to turn or whether their experience would be considered workplace sexual harassment.

“This is a provincewide, a society issue. Sexual harassment in the workplace, it goes home with people, it affects their well-being in general; it also affects our economy, productivity. If there's sexual harassment in the workplace, that does affect the productivity of that workplace,” she said.

Misinformation and a lack of knowledge contributes to people not knowing the definition of workplace sexual harassment, she said.

The cost of legal representation after the free legal advice continues to be an issue, but Peterson noted other options are available, such as speaking to occupational health and safety, the Saskatchewan Human Rights Commission or a union representative for those who are unionized.

“That still is a barrier, being able to afford legal representation, but we do just really want to emphasize that there are supports in the community for people to reach out to and to use,” Peterson said.

Information is available online at shift.plea.org.