Synopsis
Investigating sexual harassment requires sensitivity to potential biases and power imbalances. Inadequate investigations may cause more harm to those who have been mistreated and increase statutory or contractual liability for employers. Join Pamela Connolly, Ale Henao Harco, and Andrew Carricato, as they discuss best practices for handling sexual harassment allegations at work including how power imbalances impact consent and how to implement non-discriminatory investigation practices.
Speaker Bios
Pamela Connolly is a lawyer with Nixon Wenger in Vernon. She has a broad employment law practice that involves advising employers and employees within many sectors, including private companies, municipalities, non-profit organizations, First Nations, and professionals, in both the provincially and federally regulated domains. She regularly assists clients in such areas as drafting employment agreements and policies, assisting with absenteeism and medical leaves, advising on statutory entitlements and workplace accommodations, counselling how to manage problem employees, handling difficult terminations, and advocating for clients’ interests at courts and tribunals. Pamela is also a skilled and experienced workplace investigator.
Employment law is a passion for Pamela. Not only is the law interesting and constantly developing, Pamela believes it is meaningful work that directly affects our everyday lives. She strives to make a positive impact on workplaces by educating and empowering clients, leading to success for both employers and employees.
Alejandra (Ale) Henao Harco is an associate with Lidstone & Company’s Labour, Employment, and Human Rights Group. Ale advises the public and private sectors on a wide range of contractual and statutory employment obligations and disputes. These include dismissals, human rights complaints, employment agreements, policy development, and investigations. Having developed a strong focus on WorkSafeBC law and policy, Ale assists local governments and businesses in meeting their WorkSafeBC occupational health and safety obligations, particularly with respect to bullying and harassment investigation requirements, and more recently, complying with the new duty to accommodate injured workers.
Ale is licensed to practice in BC and Alberta. She has appeared before the British Columbia Human Rights Tribunal, the Provincial and Supreme Court of British Columbia, and WCAT.
Andrew Carricato is Associate Counsel at Roper Greyell, advising unionized and non-unionized employers in all areas of employment, labour law, human rights, and privacy law. His clients include municipalities, regional districts, First Nations, school districts, and societies. His clients also include francophone employers in the education, not-for-profit, arts, and social services sectors.
Andrew is regularly retained to advise on, oversee, and conduct workplace complaint investigations. He is a go-to trusted advisor on various public body governance, crisis management, and procedure related matters including compliance with the Community Charter, Local Government Act, School Act, Codes of Conduct, procedural fairness, and public censure. Andrew is also sought out to advise Chief Election Officers on local government and school district election related matters including judicial recounts and election challenges.
