An updated workplace harassment policy at the Windsor-Essex Catholic District School Board looks to better clarify what is considered sexual misconduct.
Board Chair Barbara Holland says the updated policy will make it more clear what is and isn't sexual harassment in the workplace.
She says the board regularly reviews its policies and calls it "coincidence" the harassment policy was up for discussion at a time when a number of high profile sexual abuse claims have taken centre stage in the public discussion, largely tied to the '#MeToo' movement on social media.
Holland says the new policy goes into greater detail to make the issue more black and white.
"What we wanted to do was include clearer language on sexual harassment in terms of its definition and also provide some examples so staff knew what that looked like," says Holland. "We also had to meet some legislative requirements in that area."
She says updating the policy reduces the likelihood of sexual misconduct becoming an issue at the board.
"It was written previously to include 'any form of harassment' and so, we just really needed to clarify it more clearly so that our employees know that 'this particular action' constitutes sexual harassment."
Holland adds employees at the board must complete annual workplace harassment training that can be done online.