Recently, allegations of sexual harassment in the
kitchen of a trendy Toronto restaurant have ignited a dialogue
about workplace harassment. While this doesn't excuse it, industry veterans aren't surprised by the
complaint, saying that many of Canada's restaurants have a
workplace culture that is overwhelming male, close-knit, and full
of sexualized banter.
The employee at the heart of the controversy says she was aware
of the industry's reputation when she accepted the job. "I
just thought this came with the job and it was something I just had
to overcome," she reports.
In Ontario, sexual harassment in the workplace is governed by
the Human Rights Code. In addition to
guaranteeing freedom from discrimination, the Code
explicitly guarantees employees to freedom from sexual harassment
in the workplace. The Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario has
determined that this protection extends to the interview process, as well as to work-related
conduct that occurs outside of
