The Quebec government will fund the Juripop organization, which offers free legal advice, so that it can help 300 victims of sexual harassment in the workplace per year.
“[Sexual harassment at work] is zero tolerance. It’s a fight that we must constantly pursue,” explained Labor Minister Jean Boulet during the announcement on Friday in Montreal.
The CNESST receives between 1,200 and 1,250 complaints of sexual harassment at work per year, according to Mr. Boulet.
Juripop will benefit from aid of 2.4 million over a period of 4 years. The organization will be able to offer a free legal advice service for people who file a complaint of sexual harassment in the workplace or file an injury request.
The funding is announced in the wake of the bill aimed at preventing and combating psychological harassment and sexual violence in the workplace, adopted on March 27.
Ms. Sophie Gagnon, director of Juripop, recalled that the legal regime for victims of sexual harassment at work is “formidably complex”. Victims do not always know where to file a complaint.
Victims will be directed to Juripop by the Commission for Standards, Equity, Health and Safety at Work (CNESST), which will receive complaints and requests for claims. “There are still obstacles to filing a complaint with the CNESST, but our hope is that the service offered encourages people to file complaints more,” underlines Me Sophie Gagnon, general director of Juripop.
In 2020, in Quebec, almost one in two people (49%) observed or experienced inappropriate or discriminatory sexualized behavior in the workplace, according to a Statistics Canada survey.
