Disrespectful and/or unprofessional behavior

The Respectful Workplace Policy offers descriptions of disrespectful and/or unprofessional behavior:

  • Shouting
  • Abusive language
  • Threats of violence
  • Use of obscenities or other non-verbal expression of aggression
  • Behavior that a reasonable person would find to be demeaning, humiliating or bullying
  • Deliberately destroying, damaging or obstructing someone’s work performance, work product, tools or materials
  • Use of this policy and procedure to make knowingly false complaints

When using the Respectful Workplace Policy, you will have the option to use the informal complaint process or the formal complaint process. The informal process creates a path for resolution of disrespectful and/or unprofessional behavior at the early stages. If you are experiencing legitimate bullying or working in an abusive environment, the task force encourages you to use the formal complaint process. The task force also urges you to contact a steward to help you along the process and document how it works for our members. The policy includes a sample complaint form, and MAPE has also developed our own complaint form (below) to ensure important data is documented and shared.

MAPE's formal complaint form

The Respectful Workplace Policy prohibits retaliation and MAPE recognizes if retaliation occurs, members feel too afraid to complain or assert their rights. Because of this, MAPE advocated for a strong anti-retaliation provision within the policy, which includes prohibiting retaliation any employee who:

  • Initiates a complaint
  • Reports an incident that may violate the policy
  • Participates in an investigation related to a complaint
  • Is associated or perceived to be associated with a person who initiates a complaint or participates in an investigation under the policy

Examples of retaliation behaviors include, but are not limited to:

  • Excluding employees from work activity;
  • Refusing to meet with or be near the employee (giving them the “cold shoulder”);
  • Isolating the employee;
  • Verbal abuse;
  • Changing of work duties or work schedules without justification;
  • Denying leave requests without justification;
  • Continued harassment/escalated hostility; and
  • Threats to job security and income.