Keefer Case Summary

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Introduction

The case, Keefer Restaurants Inc. (Tucker, 2009), illustrates how customer-initiated aggression relates to sections of the Saskatchewan Employment Act (SEA) and the Occupational Health and Safety Regulations, 1996 (OHS), what is required from Keefer Restaurants Inc. (Keefer) to become compliant with SEA and OHS, and how to prevent customer-initiated violence and harassment.
SEA and OHS Sections and Compliance Harassment is inappropriate conduct or a behavior that adversely affects workers psychologically or physically through humiliation or intimidation (s. 3-1 (l)(i)(B) SEA). Section 36(1-2) OHS explains an employer is required to develop a harassment policy, implement the policy and have a copy available. Keefer is required
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Keefer should provide training to new and current employees to provide employees the ability to handle aggressive customers.
3) There should be no customer violence or harassment policies in place. This allows employees to feel safe, as they are able to refuse service for aggressive customers and enforce proper treatment. This demonstrates that the employees are valued as much as the customers.
4) Keefer should have a supervisor or manager available at all times. Whether onsite or standby on the phone, this ensures sufficient supervision (s.17(a) OHS & s.3-8 (f)(ii) SEA). If supervisors cannot assist staff members when necessary, supervision is not considered sufficient.
5) Keefer should create an OHS committee to encourage employee involvement with violence and harassment incidents and procedures. A safety committee was not mentioned, and therefore it has been assumed one does not exist. Employees can review how other handle situations, provide suggestions for improving violence processes, and develop employee-based preventative plans. This increases employee engagement, as they are able to voice their concerns, and provide personal experience with violent situations to