'The employee was struck on the lower back/waist area by the employer'
Violence is never the answer for employers who want to get their employees to do something in a certain way.
Currently, a restaurant owner in northeastern Ontario is facing criminal charges after police allege he struck an employee who arrived late for a shift — the second such incident involving the same two people in as many months, according to police.
According to the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP), officers with the East Algoma Detachment responded to a report of a workplace assault at approximately 5:30 p.m. on Aug. 7, 2026, at a food services business in the Municipality of Huron Shores, a small municipality east of Sault Ste. Marie.
Police say that the confrontation began after the employee showed up late for their shift.
"The investigation determined that the employee had arrived late for work and a verbal dispute occurred between the business owner and the employee," the OPP said in a news release quoted by SooToday and CTV News. "During the interaction, the employee was struck on the lower back/waist area by the employer."
Second strike
Investigators also determined the incident was not isolated.
"Police also learned that a similar incident involving the same parties had reportedly occurred in July 2026," the release said, as reported by SooToday.
Huimin Zhang, 44, of the Municipality of Huron Shores, has been charged with two counts of assault.
None of the allegations have been tested in court, and Zhang is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The accused is scheduled to appear before the Ontario Court of Justice in Elliot Lake on Oct. 14, 2026.
Part II of the Canada Labour Code imposes a general duty on employers to take steps to prevent and protect against violence in the workplace, and defines "harassment and violence" broadly. The Code itself defines the term as any action, conduct or comment, including of a sexual nature, that can reasonably be expected to cause offence, humiliation or other physical or psychological injury or illness to an employee, including any prescribed action, conduct or comment.
Since 2018, Part II has been backed by the Work Place Harassment and Violence Prevention Regulations (SOR/2020-130), which came into force Jan. 1, 2021, following Bill C-65, which received Royal Assent on Oct. 25, 2018.
These regulations set out the requirements federally-regulated employers must meet to satisfy their Code obligations to investigate, record, report, prevent and provide training with respect to workplace harassment and violence, noted Littler in an analysis of the regulations.
