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Social Audit & Advisory Services
Social audit, equity, and ESG assessments by ILO-certified experts. Senior-led audits for organizations seeking practical, culturally aware workplace improvement.

Rika Sawatsky
Dec 4, 20254 min read


Workplace Domestic Violence Program: End-to-End Advisory & Implementation
Build a legally sound, trauma-informed workplace domestic violence program. Learn how my end-to-end advisory services help employers prevent, identify, and respond to IPV with a comprehensive, multidisciplinary approach.

Rika Sawatsky
Dec 3, 20254 min read


Safety Planning Can't Stop at the Workplace Door
Workplace domestic violence safety plans must extend beyond office walls. Learn how employers can support commuting safety, shelters, and community-level IPV solutions.

Rika Sawatsky
Dec 3, 20253 min read


Start Your Safety Planning Process Before An Employee Seeks Your Help
A strong workplace IPV policy isn’t enough. Real safety requires readiness — defined roles, processes, and systems in place before a disclosure occurs.

Rika Sawatsky
Dec 2, 20253 min read


Learn to Conduct Your Own IPV Risk Assessment (Don't Wait for Outside Experts)
Domestic violence disclosures require a timely workplace response. This post explains why employers can’t rely solely on external assessors and how to begin handling preliminary IPV risk assessments internally.

Rika Sawatsky
Dec 1, 20253 min read


Learn to Run a Trauma- and Violence-Informed (TVI) Intake Meeting With an Employee Experiencing IPV
A meaningful workplace response to domestic violence starts with how the first conversation is handled. This guide outlines how to conduct a trauma- and violence-informed intake meeting that creates safety, trust, and collaboration.

Rika Sawatsky
Nov 30, 20253 min read


Learn Your Workplace's Unique IPV Risk Profile
A one-size-fits-all approach won’t work in workplace domestic violence programs. Understanding your workplace’s unique IPV risk profile helps ensure disclosures, accommodations, and safety plans are meaningful and effective.

Rika Sawatsky
Nov 29, 20252 min read


Teach your workers how to check in on each other with bystander training.
Domestic violence often shows up at work long before a survivor speaks up. When employees are trained to check in with colleagues safely and respectfully, workplaces become safer and more supportive.

Rika Sawatsky
Nov 28, 20252 min read


We need to talk about domestic violence at work.
Talking about intimate partner violence at work isn’t invasive — it’s necessary. When employers normalize discussion the way the Bell Let’s Talk campaign did for mental health, employees are far more likely to disclose.

Rika Sawatsky
Nov 27, 20253 min read


Write your domestic violence policy with the goal of creating cultural safety
Many workplace violence policies only copy statutory text, without addressing stigma, trust, or trauma. A strong domestic violence policy makes employees feel safe to come forward — not afraid to. Here’s how to write one that works.

Rika Sawatsky
Nov 26, 20252 min read


Why Domestic Violence Programs Need More Than HR: How to Build a Multidisciplinary Response Team
Many employers assume responding to employee domestic violence is an HR issue—but most programs fail when HR operates alone. Building a cross-functional IPV response team ensures policies are actionable, coordinated, and safe. Here’s how to form one.

Rika Sawatsky
Nov 25, 20252 min read


Two Recent BCHRT Disability-Related Decisions Signal Costly Risks for Employers — and Simple Preventive Measures
Two new BC Human Rights Tribunal decisions highlight costly risks for employers mishandling disability and mental health-related workplace issues. While the facts vary, both cases reinforce the need for a clear, consistent, and documented accommodation process — particularly when medical information is incomplete or evolving. For CFOs and CHROs focused on cost control, risk mitigation, and retention, these rulings offer timely insight and practical direction.

Rika Sawatsky
Nov 19, 20253 min read


Free Webinar: Designing Trauma- and Violence-Informed (TVI)Workplace Responses to Intimate Partner Violence
On December 9, I’ll be presenting a webinar with the Learning Network, Knowledge Hub, and Respect at Work on how trauma- and violence-informed (TVI) approaches can transform workplace responses to intimate partner violence. This is a topic deeply personal to me, and I’ll also be sharing daily LinkedIn videos for the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence with practical tips for employers and HR professionals.

Rika Sawatsky
Nov 13, 20253 min read


Another Lesson in Procedural Fairness in Workplace Investigations
A recent Federal Court case, Qi v Canada (AG), 2025 FC 1783, highlights how even small procedural missteps in a workplace investigation can invalidate the outcome. Here’s what HR and employers need to know.

Rika Sawatsky
Nov 7, 20253 min read


Catching the Problem Upstream: Why Ontario’s New Support Line for Men Who Cause Harm Is a Step Forward—But Only a First Step
Ontario’s new 211 support line for men who cause harm is a promising early intervention. But for real progress, we must include survivors in design, embed accountability, and move prevention further upstream—with education that redefines what healthy relationships look like.

Rika Sawatsky
Nov 6, 20253 min read


Making the Invisible Visible: Why Every Workplace Needs to Address Domestic Violence
Many employers assume domestic violence doesn’t touch their workplace — but the truth is, one in ten employees are affected right now. Here’s why leaders must stop looking away and start addressing intimate partner violence as a workplace issue.

Rika Sawatsky
Nov 5, 20252 min read


Rethinking Persons Day: Honouring Those Left Behind
Persons Day is often celebrated as a milestone for women’s rights — but not all women were recognized as “persons” in 1929. This reflection explores how to honour the women who were left behind and celebrate the day with honesty, empathy, and inclusion.

Rika Sawatsky
Oct 27, 20252 min read


Ontario Court Opens Door to New Legal Claim for Injury to Dignity in Anti-Black Racism Case
The Ontario Superior Court has opened the door to a potential new legal claim for “injury to dignity” caused by systemic anti-Black racism in the workplace. The self-represented plaintiff, Crown lawyer Jean-Marie Dixon, challenges the boundaries of human rights and labour law — and her courage may help reshape both.

Rika Sawatsky
Oct 24, 20252 min read


Menopause at Work: Moving Beyond Myths, Stigma, and “Yoga-at-Your-Desk” Solutions
Most if not all older women in the workplace face discrimination tied to menopause. A recent UK study shows how workplace myths and token “wellness” fixes, like yoga breaks, miss the mark. Here’s what real inclusion looks like.

Rika Sawatsky
Oct 24, 20252 min read


When Legal Strategy Crosses the Line: Family Status Accommodation Lessons from Marks v PepsiCo Canada
In Marks v PepsiCo Canada, a single mother’s human rights claim turned into a retraumatizing ordeal when her employer called her abusive ex as a surprise witness. This case highlights the urgent need for a trauma- and violence-informed approach to human rights litigation.

Rika Sawatsky
Oct 22, 20253 min read
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