Management Information |
Sexual Harassment Policy Guidelines Part I
Sexual Harassment Policy Guidelines - Part I Permission is hereby granted to modify and use the information in this draft sexual harassment guideline, provided you include reference to the author as shown at the end. We shall take all reasonable steps to see that this sexual harassment policy is followed everyone in our organization who has contact with employees. This prevention plan will include training sessions, ongoing monitoring of the work site and a confidential employee survey to be conducted and evaluated each year. Sexual harassment refers to all types of unwanted sexual attention. Sexual harassment does not mean occasional compliments of a socially acceptable nature. Sexual harassment refers to conduct which is offensive to the individual, which harms morale, and which interferes with the accomplishment of our organization mission. This includes pressure to provide sexual favors, and offensive, intimidating comments or actions concerning one's gender or sexual orientation. Four basic types of sexual harassment: 1. Verbal harassment: Sexually suggestive comments, e.g., about a person's clothing, body, and/or sexual activities; sexually provocative compliments about a person's clothes or the way their clothes fit; comments of a sexual nature about weight, body shape, size, or figure; comments or questions about the sensuality of a person, or his/her spouse or significant other; repeated unsolicited propositions for dates and/or sexual intercourse; pseudo-medical advice such as "you might be feeling bad because you didn't get enough" or "A little Tender Loving Care (TLC) will cure your ailments"; continuous idle chatter of a sexual nature and graphic sexual descriptions; telephone calls of a sexual nature; derogatory comments or slurs; verbal abuse or threats; sexual jokes; suggestive or insulting sounds such as whistling, wolf-calls, or kissing sounds; homophobic insults. 2. Physical harassment: Sexual gestures, e.g., licking lips or teeth, holding or eating food provocatively, and lewd gestures such as hand or sign language to denote sexual activity; sexual looks such as leering and ogling with suggestive overtones; sexual innuendoes; cornering, impeding or blocking movement, or any physical interference with normal work or movement; touching that is inappropriate in the workplace such as patting, pinching, stroking, or brushing up against the body, mauling, attempted or actual kissing or fondling; assault, coerced sexual intercourse, attempted rape or rape. 3. Visual harassment: Showing and distributing derogatory or pornographic posters, cartoons, drawings, books or magazines. 4. Sexual favors: Persistent pressure for dates, unwanted sexual advances that condition an employment benefit upon an exchange of sexual favors. It is not permissible to suggest, threaten or imply that failure to accept a request for a date or sexual intimacy will affect an employee's job prospects. For example, it is forbidden either to imply or actually withhold support for an appointment, promotion or change of assignment or suggest that a poor performance report will be given because an employee has declined a personal proposition. Also, offering benefits such as promotions, favorable performance evaluations, favorable assigned duties or shifts, recommendations or reclassifications in exchange for sexual favors is forbidden. Any employee found to have violated this policy shall be subject to appropriate disciplinary action according to the findings of the complaint investigation. If an investigation reveals that sexual harassment has occurred, the harasser may also be held legally liable for his or her actions under provincial and federal law. Anyone making a false claim of sexual harassment will also be subject to disciplinary action. Any employee bringing a sexual harassment complaint or assisting in investigating such a complaint will not be adversely affected in terms and conditions of employment, or discriminated against or discharge because of the compliant. Complaints of such retaliation will be promptly and thoroughly investigated. Sexual harassment can occur in any situation, but is especially common in situations where there is a power imbalance between the perpetrator and the victim, due to gender, race, sexual orientation, status or rank differences. Sexual harassment, however, can also occur between peers. Both women and men can be victims of sexual harassment, although it is most common for women to be harassed by men. Sexual harassment also occurs between members of the same sex. Sexual harassment differs from healthy sexual attraction because it is unwelcome and unsolicited. Sexual conduct becomes unlawful only when it is unwelcome. The challenged conduct must be unwelcome in the sense that the employee did not solicit or incite it, and in the sense that the employee regarded the conduct as undesirable or offensive. NOTE: An employee who was previously involved in a mutual consenting intimate relationship with another person maintains his or her entitlement to protection from sexual harassment, but s/he should inform the other party that any further sexual advances are unwelcome. Sexual harassment degrades all persons and creates a hostile work environment. It is extremely costly for employers as well as damaging to employees. The effects of sexual harassment on the complainant may include loss of self-confidence and self-esteem, physical symptoms of stress, diminished work productivity, and low morale. To fight sexual harassment, remember four tactics: confront, report, document, and support. CONFRONT the harasser. Say No Clearly. Inform the harasser that their attentions are unwanted. Make clear you find the behavior offensive. If it persists, write a memo to the harasser asking them to stop; keep a copy. REPORT the problem immediately, verbally and/or in writing directly to your supervisor, or to the supervisor of the accused, and to your union steward. Our door is always open and anyone who has been harassed or thinks harassment is occurring, can seek our confidential advice. We will speak with the accused at your request and inform them about illegal conduct and its consequences. We have a zero-tolerance policy for sexual harassment. If the incident is confirmed, the offending employee faces the following possible sanctions: verbal or written reprimand, negative evaluation, denial of promotion, poor recommendations, suspension, demotion, forced resignation, and termination. We will make every effort to create an atmosphere of comfort for recipients of sexual harassment to request assistance in the resolution of complaints, but at the same time we will also protect the rights of the accused until proven guilty. Note: A single sexual advance, unless severe, may not constitute harassment unless it is linked to the granting or denial of employment or employment benefits. The unwelcome, intentional touching of a person's intimate body areas is sufficiently offensive to be considered severe, and even a single incident can be considered as harassment. Asking someone for a date is not considered severe. But a repetitive series of non-severe incidents will be considered harassment if the offender was told to stop. It is important for the victim to communicate that the conduct is unwelcome, particularly when the alleged harasser may have some reason to believe that the advance may be welcomed such as a previous consenting relationship. SEXUAL POLLUTION There are some acts perceived by the recipient to have a "sexual nature" that are offensive and annoying, but may not be sexual harassment. These offensive behaviors in the workplace pollute the working environment. Therefore, these acts have been labeled sexual pollution. Sexual pollution has the potential of becoming a sexually harassing act. It is an offensive act and should be considered improper. Examples of sexual pollution are: continuous "pet" name calling, such as "baby," "sweetie, "or " honey"; referring to an individual as a "hunk," "fox," or "broad"; referring to men in general as "dogs," "swine," or to women as "bitches," "wenches, " or "chicks"; remarks of a sexual nature, open displays of written and pictorial erotica, or nude photographs or posters (such as a nude magazine centerfold) in the workplace, and continuous gift giving with the intention of getting sexual favors in return. A single act of sexual pollution by itself may not constitute sexual harassment. However, continuous acts with the appearance of a sexual nature probably would be. The "reasonable person" standard will be used to determine if it is or not. DOCUMENT the harassment. While the incident is still fresh in your mind, write down what happened, where, when, and how you responded, if possible, word for word. Include the names of witnesses, if any. Keep notes in a journal or notebook to show a continuous record. Send a dated, certified, return-receipt letter to the harasser, asking that the harassment stop, and keep a copy for yourself. Use your telephone answering machine to tape phone calls from the harasser, and save phone messages that are left for you. Keep the records in a safe place, away from work. Documentation will be essential if you must defend yourself in court or before an administrative hearing panel. Document your work. Keep copies of performance evaluations and memos that attest to the quality of your work. The harasser may question your job performance in order to justify his behavior. SEEK SUPPORT from others. Talk to a friend, colleague, or relative, an organized group, or counselor, and your supervisor or someone in personnel that you trust. Not only will you benefit, you may learn of others who have had similar experiences who can offer strategies for dealing with the harassment and support. Look for witnesses and other victims. You may not be the first person who has been mistreated by this individual. Ask around discretely; you may find others who will support your charge. Two accusations are much harder to ignore. Get the union steward involved right away. REMEDIES AVAILABLE TO VICTIMS OF SEXUAL HARASSMENT If you have been discriminated against on the basis of sex, you are entitled to a remedy that will place you in the position you would have been in if the discrimination had never occurred. You may be entitled to hiring, promotion, reinstatement, back pay and other remuneration. You may also be entitled to damages to compensate you for future pecuniary losses, mental anguish and inconvenience. Punitive damages may be available, as well, if an employer acted with malice or reckless indifference. You may also be entitled to attorney's fees. ARE YOU THE HARASSER? Those accused of sexual harassment are often surprised to learn how their behavior is perceived by those who feel victimized by such behavior. ? Review your attitudes and actions toward others. Examine how others respond to what you do and say. Is your behavior sex-neutral and bias-free? ? Imagine yourself a victim of unwelcome sexual attention by someone having control over your career or livelihood. ? Consider the impact you have on other's attitudes toward their work and self-esteem. ? Do not assume that your colleagues, peers or employees enjoy sexually oriented comments about their appearance, or being touched or stared at. ? Do not assume that others will tell you if they are offended or harassed by what you say or do. ? Be aware of other's feelings and responses to sexual harassment. Could your behavior cause others to experience the vulnerability, powerlessness, and anger described by victims? Permission is hereby granted for you to modify and use the information in this article provided that you include a reference as follows: Original document created by Al Link; (4 Freedoms Relationship Tantra) http://www.tantra-sex.com. Al Link and Pala Copeland own and operate 4 Freedoms Relationship Tantra. They regularly host Tantra Sacred Loving weekends near Ottawa Canada, and weeklong retreats in exotic locations around the planet. For more information call toll free from Canada or USA: 1-800-684-5308 International long distance: 1-819-689-5308. Visit their website http://www.tantra-sex.com/ or send email: 4freedoms@tantraloving.com Their book, Soul Sex: Tantra for Two, is published by New Page Books, 2003. http://www.tantra-sex.com/soulsex.html
MORE RESOURCES: Unable to open RSS Feed $XMLfilename with error HTTP ERROR: 404, exiting |
RELATED ARTICLES
14 Ways to De-Stress Employee Vacations Employees truly deserve paid vacations. Theystruggle through stressful jobs most of the year,and productivity goes down if they don't get abreak. Tales from the Corporate Frontlines: The Organizational Structure of Our Growing Business This article relates to the organizational structure competency, commonly evaluated in employee satisfaction surveys. It shows how structural concerns can affect the typical employee workday, as well as feelings towards your organization's management hierarchy and reporting structure. Teamwork Training: Learning to Build a Successful Team Teamwork is a process that can be experienced outdoors and well as in the workplace. A lesson learned in one environment can be applied equally well in another. Hold Your Applause! It's amazing what you can accomplish if you don't care who gets the credit. Harry S Truman President Truman had decided that Secretary of State, General George Marshall's name should be attached to his plan for massive European relief following World War II. How to Hold Effective Staff Meetings Many people believe that they conduct effective meetings, when all they really do is host a party. Or worse, they deliver a monologue. A Winning Way to Handle New Ideas Janet DiClaudio, who was charge of medical records at two large American hospitals, had an unusual problem. But, the past master in finding creative solutions to work related problems that she was, she found an equally unusual solution. Five Problem-Solving Success Tips The ability to solve complicated problems quickly is more important than ever in today's tough economy.From the time we're little kids, we're taught to solve problems by trial and error. Problem-Solving Success Tip: Measure Measure.The first key question to answer in starting a problem-solving project is, "How will you know when the problem is solved?" Answer this question in measurable terms before you start trying to solve the problem. Which ITIL Process Should We Implement First? The following question is usually debated a lot amongst IT managers. "With which process should we start when implementing ITIL?" Everybody has their own views, but here are my takes on it. Four Steps to Better Performance Reviews Direct reports-people who need direction and leadership-rely on their leaders to give them feedback and mentoring, not just management and evaluations. However, these people who most need their boss's help frequently lack the guidance that would enable them move to the next levels of success-theirs, their team's and the company's. He Hate Me: Turning Their Bad Attitude Into Your Great Results "He Hate Me" was the nickname of Rod Smart, a leading rusher in 2002 for the Las Vegas Outlaws of the now defunct XFL pro football league. Looking for an edge, the XFL allowed players to put nicknames on their uniforms. Why Training Fails Sometimes when I conduct my workshop on Effective Meetings, one of the participants will ask, "Where's my boss?"And I say, "Your boss claimed to be an expert on holding effective meetings."Then the person laughs. Another Use for Meetings Every meeting is a laboratory where you can observe and learn important things about the people who attend. In fact, you can use meetings to identify people who merit being promoted into leadership positions. The Retailers Calendar The Julian calendar we use to pass the time every day, every week, every month and every year is the one most commonly used by businesses. Its general availability and familiarity make it a natural selection. Look Good on Voice Mail Your use of voice mail tells others a lot about you. Here's how to make a good impression. When Code Freeze Turns To Code Slush Time To Market (TTM) is a vital concept that every executive understands. Releasing a product to market before your competition gives you a significant first-mover advantage. Talent Recruitment Challenges of High Technology Companies As a result of the dot com meltdown and the decline of the NASDAQ in 2001, many organizations had no alternatives but to lay off many talented IT professionals. Currently, the pool of available talent in the labour market is large. What Every Manager Should Know About How to Become An Effective Executive In his book, The Effective Executive, Peter Drucker pointed out that the effective executive is the person who focuses on making a contribution.This focus on the making of a contribution is the key. How to Beat the Turf Mentality Want to hear a fascinating story? Let's sit in at a meeting of the human resources department of a large corporation. A number of human resources specialists are gathered in the board room. Miracle Max On Market Breakthroughs Successful enterprise building requires seven elements. These are:1. |
home | site map | contact us |