Our Anti-Discrimination and Harassment Policy

If you believe you’ve been a victim of Discrimination or Harassment at OTH, view our anonymous complaint process.

Policy Overview

Only the Human (OTH) is committed to providing a safe, inclusive environment free of discrimination and harassment, where all individuals are treated with respect and dignity, can contribute fully and have equal opportunities. In order to create communities centred around deep trust, laughter, and creativity, we need to ensure a supportive organisational culture where every person feels safe and included and can exercise their right to be free from harassment and discrimination.

We ask all that co-op members, instructors, performers, students, clients and associates of Only the Human aspire to practice our core behaviours in their conduct with Only the Human.

Harassment and discrimination will not be tolerated, condoned or ignored at Only the Human. If a claim of harassment or discrimination is proven, disciplinary measures will be applied, up to and including expulsion from the program and community activities.

Policy Objectives

The objectives of this policy are to make sure that members, instructors, performers, students, clients and associates of Only the Human are (a) actively supporting a safe and inclusive culture by aspiring to practice our core behaviours, and (b) are aware that harassment and discrimination are unacceptable practices and are incompatible with the standards of this organisation.

Application: Core Behaviours

Our core behaviours are intended to create a supportive organisational culture which facilitates the creation of communities centred around deep trust, laughter, and creativity. Aspiration towards these behaviours are expected of all employees, as well as co-op members, volunteers, interns, apprentices, and students. They apply to all aspects of our operations including but not limited to classes, performances, meetings, and social activities.

Our core behaviours are aspirational in that we recognise that full embodiment of the behaviours is not a reasonable expectation of participants in the organisation. We acknowledge that, as humans, we are prone to ego, judgement, and other negative behaviours which are disruptive to creating community. We acknowledge that conflict is normal and working through these behaviours collectively is a key part of building community. Therefore, we ask all active participants in the organisation to actively aspire towards those behaviours in how they conduct themselves at Only the Human.

Active participants who repeatedly violate these core behaviours may be deemed to be creating a poisoned environment. If it is deemed that an active participants failure to aspire to the core behaviours has created a poisoned environment, disciplinary measures will be applied, up to and including expulsion from the program and community activities.

Application: Anti-Discrimination and Harassment

The right to freedom from discrimination and harassment extends to all employees, including full-time, part-time, temporary, probationary, casual and contract staff, as well as co-op members, volunteers, co-op students, interns, apprentices, and students.

It is also unacceptable for members of Only the Human to engage in harassment or discrimination when dealing with clients, or with others they have professional dealings with, such as students, instructors, performers, rental companies, or service providers.

This policy applies at every level of the organisation and to every aspect of the workplace environment and employment relationship, including recruitment, selection, promotion, transfers, training, salaries, benefits and termination. It also covers rates of pay, overtime, hours of work, holidays, shift work, discipline and performance evaluations. This policy also applies to events that occur outside of the physical workplace such as during festival travel and company parties.

This policy prohibits discrimination or harassment based on the following grounds, and any combination of these grounds:

  • Age

  • Creed (religion)

  • Sex (including pregnancy and breastfeeding)

  • Sexual orientation

  • Gender identity

  • Gender expression

  • Family status (such as being in a parent-child relationship)

  • Marital status (including married, single, widowed, divorced, separated or living in a conjugal relationship outside of marriage, whether in a same-sex or opposite-sex relationship)

  • Disability (including mental, physical, developmental or learning disabilities)

  • Race

  • Ancestry

  • Place of origin

  • Ethnic origin

  • Citizenship

  • Colour

  • Record of offences (criminal conviction for a provincial offence, or for an offence for which a pardon has been received)

  • Association or relationship with a person identified by one of the above grounds

  • Perception that one of the above grounds applies.

Definitions

Discrimination: Any form of unequal treatment based on a Code ground, whether imposing extra burdens or denying benefits. It may be intentional or unintentional. It may involve direct actions that are discriminatory on their face, or it may involve rules, practices or procedures that appear neutral, but disadvantage certain groups of people. Discrimination may take obvious forms, or it may happen in very subtle ways. Even if there are many factors affecting a decision or action, if discrimination is one factor, that is a violation of this policy.

Harassment: A course of comments or actions that are known, or ought reasonably to be known, to be unwelcome. It can involve words or actions that are known or should be known to be offensive, embarrassing, humiliating, demeaning or unwelcome, based on a ground of discrimination identified by this policy. Harassment can occur based on any of the grounds of discrimination. Examples of harassment include:

  • Epithets, remarks, jokes or innuendos related to a person’s race, gender identity, gender expression, sex, disability, sexual orientation, creed, age, or any other ground.

  • Posting or circulating offensive pictures, graffiti or materials, whether in print form or via e-mail or other electronic means.

  • Singling out a person for humiliating or demeaning “teasing” or jokes because they are a member of a Code-protected group.

  • Comments ridiculing and/or unsolicited feedback directed towards a person because of characteristics that are related to a ground of discrimination. For example, this could include comments about a person’s dress, speech or other practices that may be related to their sex, race, gender identity or creed.If a person does not explicitly object to harassing behaviour, or appears to be going along with it, this does not mean that the behaviour is okay. The behaviour could still be considered harassment under the Code.

Sexual and gender-based harassment is a form of harassment that can include:

  • Gender-related comments about a person’s physical characteristics or mannerisms.

  • Paternalism based on gender which a person feels undermines his or her self-respect or position of responsibility.

  • Unwelcome physical contact.

  • Suggestive or offensive remarks or innuendoes about members of a specific gender.

  • Propositions of physical intimacy.

  • Gender-related verbal abuse, threats or taunting.

  • Leering or inappropriate staring.

  • Bragging about sexual prowess or questions or discussions about sexual activities.

  • Offensive jokes or comments of a sexual nature about an employee or client.

  • Rough and vulgar humour or language related to gender.

  • Display of sexually offensive pictures, graffiti or other materials including through electronic means.

  • Demands for dates or sexual favours.

Sexual Solicitation: This policy prohibits sexual solicitations or advances by any person who is in a position to grant or deny a benefit to the recipient of the solicitation or advance. This includes managers and supervisors, as well as co-workers where one person is in a position to grant or deny a benefit to the other. Reprisals for rejecting such advances or solicitations are also not allowed.

Poisoned environment: A poisoned environment is created by comments or conduct (including comments or conduct that are condoned or allowed to continue when brought to the attention of management) that create a discriminatory work environment. The comments or conduct need not be directed at a specific person, and may be from any person, regardless of position or status. A single comment or action, if sufficiently serious, may create a poisoned environment.

Roles and Responsibilities

All persons present in Only the Human are expected to uphold and abide by this policy, by refraining from any form of harassment or discrimination, and by cooperating fully in any investigation of a harassment or discrimination complaint. Managers, instructors, and show directors have the additional responsibility to act immediately on observations or allegations of harassment or discrimination. Managers and instructors are responsible for creating and maintaining a harassment- and discrimination-free organisation, and should address potential problems before they become serious.

Last updated 14/01/21