What Nova Scotia employers need to know about province’s updated workplace harassment legislation

By Julius Melnitzer | October 19, 2025

Nova Scotia’s government is formally recognizing workplace harassment as a health and safety issue with the introduction of new regulations to its Occupational Health and Safety Act.

“All employers in Nova Scotia have an obligation to ensure workers’ health and safety — and that obligation now specifically includes a duty to address workplace harassment and to establish and implement a workplace harassment prevention policy,” says Mark Tector, a labour and employment lawyer in Stewart McKelvey’s Halifax office.

The definition of workplace harassment includes unwelcome conduct, comments, actions, bullying based on personal characteristics and inappropriate sexual conduct. It excludes employers’ actions relating to the management and direction of employees in the workplace.

While the regulations certainly resemble what’s in place in Ontario and Alberta, there are differences. MORE . . .

Julius Melnitzer is a Toronto-based legal affairs writer, ghostwriter, writing coach and media trainer. Readers can reach him at julius@legalwriter.net or on his website.

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