Catherwood LibraryILR School

Defining bullying in the workplace has become a difficult task for many employers, and attorneys wonder if the courts and tribunals are really the best place to decide whether an aggressive boss simply has a strong leadership style vs. when the boss crosses over into bullying territory. In the office, bullying is often a matter of perspective - one employee might feel pushed to do well by a manager's demanding leadership style, another employee personality might feel attacked. Workers are of course protected from clear physical and verbal abuse, as well as obvious sexual harassment, but when the line is fuzzy, who decides? Who should decide? As of now, changes are being considered for the Ontario Occupational Health and Safety Act which would draw the line that constitutes bullying even more strictly, and is expected to lead to an explosion in the number of workplace safety legal battles.