Workplace Bullying and Intimidation
When a colleague or manager uses threats, humiliation, or unauthorized authority to control you.
Content last verified against official statutes: March 30, 2026
What the Law Says
SOR/2020-130 (Workplace Harassment and Violence Prevention Regulations) defines workplace harassment and violence as “any action, conduct or comment, including of a sexual nature, that can reasonably be expected to cause offence, humiliation or other physical or psychological injury or illness to an employee.” Under CLC s.125(1)(z.16), every employer has a duty to prevent and address workplace harassment and violence. The employer's own Code of Conduct typically prohibits threatening, humiliating, and intimidating conduct and applies to all employees, contractors, and consultants.
What This Means for You
Bullying does not have to be physical. Sarcastic remarks designed to belittle, unauthorized directives from someone with no supervisory authority over you, threats to have your equipment shut off, or public humiliation in front of colleagues all qualify. If a colleague who has no authority over you approaches your workspace, makes demeaning comments about your work, issues unauthorized work orders, and threatens consequences when you reference your actual manager, that is workplace bullying under Canadian law.
Real Example
A new employee at a federally regulated telecom was approached by a colleague who held no supervisory authority over him. The colleague made sarcastic remarks about his work, directed him to relocate heavy equipment within 48 hours without a work order or ergonomic assessment, claimed to be “second in command” when the employee referenced his actual manager, and threatened to have a colleague shut off the employee's laptop if he did not leave within five minutes. The colleague then made remarks about the employee's medical condition in front of another staff member. The employee documented the incident in real time via chat messages with a trusted colleague, sent a formal written report to management and HR within two hours, cited specific company policies and federal regulations (SOR/2020-130, CLC Part II, and the company's Code of Conduct), and requested written confirmation of reprisal protection, confidentiality, and the formal investigation process. HR was assigned, the respondent's behaviour was addressed, and the employee observed a clear change in conduct. The matter was resolved within 18 days. The employee never raised his voice, never made personal accusations, and never discussed the matter with colleagues. He let the facts and the regulatory framework do the work.
Real Court Decision
In Oliva, Pascoe, and Strong v. Gursoy (2024 AHRC 45), the tribunal awarded $230,000+. Read the full case →
What You Can Do
- 1Document the incident immediately with date, time, what was said, who was present, and any evidence (photos, chat messages, emails).
- 2File a formal written complaint citing SOR/2020-130 and your employer's harassment prevention policy.
- 3Request written confirmation of reprisal protection under CLC s.147.
- 4If HR fails to respond within a reasonable timeframe, escalate by citing specific regulatory obligations (SOR/2020-130 s.20 requires the designated recipient to contact you within 7 days).
- 5If the internal process fails, file an external complaint with the appropriate regulatory body.
Warning Signs
- A colleague or manager regularly makes sarcastic, belittling, or demeaning comments about your work or abilities
- Someone with no direct supervisory authority issues you directives or tasks outside your job description
- Threats are made about your employment, equipment access, or work conditions if you do not comply with unauthorized requests
- Your medical conditions, personal information, or private matters are discussed publicly in front of other employees
- You are singled out for treatment that other team members do not receive
What to Document
- Exact date, time, and location of each incident
- Exact words used (quote directly where possible)
- Names and roles of everyone present
- Any physical evidence (photos of workspace changes, equipment moved to your desk)
- Contemporaneous communications (chat messages sent in real time to a trusted person documenting what is happening as it occurs)
- Your chain of authority (who your actual reporting manager is) to demonstrate the respondent had no supervisory authority
Where to File
Internal
- Written complaint to your direct manager (if they are not the respondent)
- Written complaint to HR, citing SOR/2020-130 and the employer's Code of Conduct
- If the HR representative responding is a direct witness to the incident, flag the conflict of interest in writing
External
Canada Industrial Relations Board (CIRB)
If the bullying constitutes reprisal for exercising your rights.
Canadian Human Rights Commission (CHRC)
If the bullying is connected to a prohibited ground (race, religion, disability, etc.).
Provincial human rights tribunal
If provincially regulated.
Key Statutes
When Should You Contact a Lawyer?
This platform is designed to help you build your case independently — collecting evidence, documenting incidents, writing complaints in compliance language, and navigating the internal HR process. Many employees can handle these steps without a lawyer.
The most effective time to engage a lawyer is after you have completed the internal process and your employer has failed to resolve your complaint. At that point, a lawyer can review your complete file — your timeline, evidence, complaint, and the employer's response — and provide strategic advice before you file with an external body such as the CIRB, CHRC, or OPC.
By doing the groundwork yourself, your consultation becomes a focused strategic review rather than a costly fact-gathering session. This approach has been validated by employment lawyers who reviewed files prepared using this methodology and found the documentation thorough with nothing to add.
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Cite This Page
MyWorkRights.ca, "Workplace Bullying and Intimidation," accessed 2026-04-01, https://myworkrights.ca/harassment/bullying
Written by the MyWorkRights.ca team, based on direct experience navigating the CIRB, OPC, and CHRC complaint processes and 500+ hours of employment law research.