Know Your Rights

Bullying and /Psychological Harassment

Part-Time Article: 6.2

Full-Time Article 4.4.2

What is Bullying and Harassment in the Workplace?

In Micro-harassment, or “micro-aggressions” in a management context, it often manifests as subtle, repeated, and non-overt behaviours that communicate a negative attitude, undermine competence, or create a hostile environment, even when not targeting a marginalized group based on protected characteristics.

When coming from a manager to an employee, this behaviour often stems from a misuse of power, creating a “thousand cuts” that degrade morale and productivity over time.

Common Examples of Manager-to-Employee Micro-Harassment

These actions are often subtle, sometimes unintentional, or masked as “tough management”:

Undermining Competence & Authority

• Constantly questioning decisions or expertise.

• Frequently interrupting or talking over the employee in meetings.

• Taking credit for the employee’s work or ideas.

• Dismissing accomplishments or attributing them to luck.

• Assigning menial tasks far below the employee's level of competence.
  
  

Micromanagement & Control

• Excessive monitoring of work, such as excessive tracking of computer activity or constant, unwarranted check-ins.

• Constantly changing work guidelines, requirements, or deadlines.

• Withholding necessary information or tools to complete tasks effectively.
  
  

Social & Emotional Exclusion

• “Icing out” or giving the silent treatment.

• Intentionally leaving the employee out of team meetings, emails, or social gatherings.

• Making passive-aggressive comments or using sarcasm.

• Deliberately ignoring the employee’s presence.

Verbal Put-Downs & Gaslighting

• Making subtle jabs that appear harmless but carry an undercurrent of disrespect.

• Dismissing concerns by saying the employee is “too sensitive” or “overreacting”.

• Spreading rumours or gossiping about the employee.

• Publicly criticizing or embarrassing the employee instead of providing constructive, private feedback.

Impact on the Employee and Workplace

While a single, subtle act might not meet the legal definition of harassment, a pattern of these behaviours contributes to a “poisoned work environment.”

• Psychological Impact: Employees may feel undervalued, isolated, anxious, or doubt their own sanity (gaslighting).

• Performance Impact: Decreased productivity, low morale, and high turnover.

• Health Issues: Chronic stress, burnout, and physical illness.

How to Document and Address

Because these behaviours are subtle, they can be hard to prove. 

Documentation is crucial:

• Create a Private Record: Use a personal device or notebook (not company property) to log dates, times, specific words, and witnesses for every incident.

• Be Factual: Focus on what was said/done rather than speculating on intent.

• Save Evidence: Screenshot, scan, or print emails, Slack messages, or documents that show a pattern.

• Address Directly (If Safe): Use “I” statements to explain the impact of the behaviour (e.g., “When you interrupted me, I felt my input wasn’t valued”).
  
  

Report to Union & HR: Bring your documentation to your Union & HR, focusing on the pattern of behaviour rather than just one incident.

If after addressing your manager & HR, the behaviour continues, we would move forward to the Grievance process.  At that point there is also the consideration of a complaint against the Respectful Workplace Policy.