Psychological or sexual harassment
Vexatious behaviour, repeated or serious, that undermines a person’s dignity or integrity. The employer must take reasonable action to prevent it and put a stop to it.3
Businesses · Saint‑HyacinthePsychological health
Psychological health at work: prevention and employee support
Preventing psychosocial risks and better supporting employees
Psychological health at work is an integral part of occupational health and safety prevention in Quebec. A safe workplace therefore does not rely solely on preventing physical injuries: employers must also take into account work-related factors that can affect the psychological health of their team members.
The CNESST specifies that, like other health and safety risks, work-related psychosocial risks must be identified and managed by workplaces.1
For an organization
In practical terms, what does this mean?
For an organization, psychological health prevention requires being able to act at several points: before a problem arises, when a situation is reported and when an employee needs help.
This means, among other things, being able to:
- recognize situations that may harm psychological health;
- put prevention measures in place;
- offer mechanisms for reporting certain situations;
- intervene when a problem is identified;
- quickly refer an employee to an appropriate resource when the situation requires it.
Understanding
What are psychosocial risks at work?
Psychosocial risks are factors present in the organization or in work relationships that can affect a person’s physical or psychological health. They can be present in any workplace, regardless of the organization’s size or sector.1
Workplace violence
Physical, psychological or sexual violence from a co-worker, a manager, a client or a service user. The law also covers domestic or family violence to which a worker is exposed in the workplace.2
Workload and work organization
An inadequate workload, poorly defined responsibilities or certain ways of organizing work can contribute to the presence of psychosocial risks.
Relationships and conflicts
Persistent tensions, interpersonal conflicts or relational difficulties can affect how a team functions and the well-being of the people involved.
Difficult situations
Traumatic events, human distress, aggressiveness, crisis situations or highly emotionally demanding events: these realities may also need to be considered in the prevention process.
An overview
The CNESST groups together, among others, harassment, violence, domestic or family violence, exposure to a potentially traumatic event and work-related psychosocial risk factors.1
Responsibilities
What are the responsibilities of the employer?
The law provides that the employer must take the necessary measures to protect the health and ensure the safety and physical and psychological integrity of the worker.2
This does not mean that the employer becomes responsible for every psychological difficulty experienced by an employee. Rather, its responsibility concerns work-related risks and the prevention measures it must reasonably put in place in its organization.
This includes, among other things:
- identifying, controlling and eliminating risks that may affect the worker’s health and safety;
- ensuring that the organization of work is safe and does not harm health;
- adequately informing workers about the risks related to their work;
- protecting a worker exposed to a situation of physical or psychological violence, including domestic, family or sexual violence;
- preventing psychological harassment and adopting a policy for its prevention and management.
Prevention mechanisms
Action plan or prevention program?
Since October 1st, 2025, the new provisions of the Loi sur la santé et la sécurité du travail on prevention and participation mechanisms have been in force. The size of the establishment determines, among other things, the applicable mechanism.4
Establishment with 19 or fewer workers
The employer must develop and implement an action plan, which the CNESST asks employers to update at least once a year.4
The action plan must include, among other things:2
- the identification of risks, including work-related psychosocial risks;
- measures to eliminate or control these risks;
- health and safety training and information;
- the policy on the prevention and management of psychological harassment.
A health and safety liaison officer cooperates with the employer to facilitate the communication of health and safety information.25
Establishment with 20 or more workers
The employer must develop and implement a prevention program specific to the establishment.2
This program aims to eliminate, at the very source, dangers to:
- health;
- safety;
- physical integrity;
- the psychological integrity of workers.
It provides, among other things, for the identification and analysis of risks, including psychosocial risks. A health and safety committee and a health and safety representative are also among the applicable mechanisms, subject to the rules and exceptions provided for.25
Act early
Why intervene before a situation gets worse?
An employee going through a difficulty does not always ask for help right away. Having an easily accessible resource can make it possible to intervene earlier and help the person determine the next steps.
The goal is not to label or diagnose employees from the workplace, but to allow fast access to a professional resource when the person feels the need.
- Change in usual functioning
- Relational tensions or difficulty adapting
- Distress or personal difficulties affecting work
- Difficult organizational change
- More difficult return to work
- Need for support after a distressing event
Our services
How Clinique IPS du Palais can support a business
Our Health services for businesses offering can be adapted to the needs of the organization and its employees.
Psychosocial support
An employee can quickly meet with a professional when going through a difficult period on a personal, professional or relational level.
Difficult situations at work
Conflict, adaptation, change, relational difficulties, stress related to a work situation or a period of vulnerability.
Early intervention
Helping the person clarify what they are experiencing, identify their needs, set their priorities, explore possible solutions and find available resources.
Social work
Élise Jubinville, social worker
At Clinique IPS du Palais, Élise Jubinville, social worker, supports employees using a systemic, solution-focused approach. This approach takes into account not only the difficulty encountered, but also the environment in which it occurs: professional life, personal life, relationships, available resources and organizational context.
When the situation is beyond her scope of practice or requires another type of care, the employee can be referred to an appropriate resource.
Depending on needs, support may address, among other things:
- personal or relational difficulties;
- adaptation;
- conflicts;
- a period of distress or vulnerability;
- work-related issues;
- return to work;
- neurodiversity;
- finding concrete solutions.
Employee assistance program-type services
A business may wish to offer its workers confidential access to a psychosocial resource through an employee assistance program (EAP)-type service. Depending on the agreement reached, employees can consult a social worker without having to find a resource themselves.
Access → early intervention → support → referral when necessary.
How it works and the number of consultations can be adapted to the needs and arrangements agreed upon with the organization.
An approach that can include the clinical team
Some situations experienced by an employee may involve a health component requiring a clinical assessment.
When appropriate, Clinique IPS du Palais services can provide access to various professionals at the clinic, depending on needs and the type of agreement with the employer. This can support a more comprehensive approach when several dimensions need to be taken into consideration.
Confidentiality of consultations
Confidentiality is essential in any psychosocial support process. The consultation between the employee and the professional remains governed by the applicable professional obligations.
A service agreement with a business therefore does not mean that the employer automatically gains access to the content of its employees’ consultations.
The terms of operation, confidentiality and, where applicable, information sharing must be clearly defined in the service agreement and comply with the applicable professional and legal rules.
Roles
The role of the business and that of the clinic
The support offered by Clinique IPS du Palais can complement an organization’s prevention process. However, the business remains responsible for its own occupational health and safety obligations.
Our role is to contribute to the human and clinical component: offering workers access to professionals when they need support.
Our support does not replace:
- the employer’s legal obligations;
- its action plan;
- its prevention program;
- its internal policies;
- its health and safety committee when required;
- the mechanisms prescribed by the CNESST;
- specialized occupational health and safety services when they are necessary.
Customized
An approach tailored to each business
The realities of an SME with 15 employees are not the same as those of an organization with several hundred workers. That is why services can be discussed with the employer to determine an option suited to its situation.
Needs can vary depending on:
- the type of work;
- the industry sector;
- schedules;
- the level of exposure to certain difficult situations;
- the resources already available;
- the teams’ needs.
Support the psychological health of your employees
The goal is not to wait until a situation becomes critical before acting. A business can put mechanisms in place to prevent, recognize certain difficulties more quickly, offer an accessible point of entry and refer employees to the right resources.
Clinique IPS du Palais can support businesses that wish to integrate access to psychosocial and clinical services into their employee health strategy.
Frequently asked questions
Frequently asked questions
What is a psychosocial risk at work?
These are factors present in the organization or in work relationships that can affect a person’s physical or psychological health: harassment, violence, workload and work organization, conflicts or exposure to difficult situations. According to the CNESST, they can be present in any workplace.
Does the employer have to take psychosocial risks into account?
Yes. According to the CNESST, work-related psychosocial risks must be identified and managed like other health and safety risks. The Loi sur la santé et la sécurité du travail provides that the employer must protect the health, safety and physical and psychological integrity of the worker.
Action plan or prevention program: which one applies to my business?
Since October 1, 2025, an establishment with 19 or fewer workers must have an action plan, updated at least once a year, and an establishment with 20 or more workers must have a prevention program. Both must include the identification of risks, including psychosocial risks. Rules and exceptions apply: consult the CNESST.
Is the employer responsible for every psychological difficulty an employee experiences?
No. The employer’s responsibility concerns work-related risks and the prevention measures it must reasonably put in place in its organization.
How can Clinique IPS du Palais help a business?
By offering employees fast access to a professional: psychosocial support, support during difficult situations at work, early intervention and, depending on the agreement, employee assistance program (EAP)-type services with a social worker. Access to other professionals at the clinic can also be arranged.
Does the employer have access to the content of the consultations?
No, not automatically. The consultation remains governed by the applicable professional obligations. The terms of confidentiality and, where applicable, of information sharing are defined in the service agreement and comply with professional and legal rules.
Do your services replace the action plan or the prevention program?
No. Our support can complement the prevention process, but it does not replace the employer’s legal obligations, its action plan, its prevention program, its internal policies, its health and safety committee or the mechanisms prescribed by the CNESST.
Are the services suitable for small businesses?
Yes. The needs of an SME with 15 employees are not those of a large organization: the option is discussed with the employer based on the type of work, the sector, schedules, exposure to difficult situations and the resources already available.
Sources
- Commission des normes, de l’équité, de la santé et de la sécurité du travail (CNESST). Risques psychosociaux liés au travail. Accessed October 7, 2026. cnesst.gouv.qc.ca
- Loi sur la santé et la sécurité du travail, RLRQ, c. S-2.1, sections 51, 58, 59, 61.1, 61.2, 68, 87 and 97.2. Version current to August 12, 2026, accessed October 7, 2026. legisquebec.gouv.qc.ca
- Loi sur les normes du travail, RLRQ, c. N-1.1, sections 81.18 and 81.19. Version current to August 12, 2026, accessed October 7, 2026. legisquebec.gouv.qc.ca
- CNESST. Établissements de 19 travailleurs ou moins : mécanismes de prévention et de participation. October 2025. cnesst.gouv.qc.ca
- CNESST. Mécanismes de prévention et de participation en établissement. Accessed October 7, 2026. cnesst.gouv.qc.ca
The content of this page is provided for information purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. To find out which obligations apply to your establishment, consult the CNESST or an occupational health and safety advisor.