| |
The Company is committed
to a work environment in which all individuals are treated with respect
and dignity. Each individual has the right to work in a professional
atmosphere that promotes equal employment opportunities and prohibits
discriminatory practices, including harassment. Therefore, the Company
expects that all relationships among persons in the workplace will be
business-like and free of bias, prejudice and harassment.
Equal Employment
Opportunity
It is the policy of the Company to ensure equal employment
opportunity without discrimination or harassment on the basis of race,
color, religion, sex, age, national origin, marital status, sexual orientation,
disability, veteran status or any other characteristic protected by law.
The company prohibits and will not tolerate any such discrimination or
harassment.
Definition of Harassment
Sexual harassment constitutes discrimination
and is illegal under federal, state and local laws. For the purposes
of this policy, sexual harassment is defined, as in the Equal Employment
Opportunity Commission Guidelines, as unwelcome sexual advances, requests
for sexual favors and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature
when, for example:
(1) submission to such conduct is made either explicitly
or implicitly a term or condition of an individual’s employment;
(2) submission to or rejection of such conduct by an individual is used
for employment decisions affecting such individual; and
(3) such conduct
has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with an individual’s
work performance or creating an intimidating, hostile or offensive working
environment.
Sexual harassment may include a range of subtle and not so
subtle behaviors and may involve individuals of the same or different
gender. Depending on the circumstances, these behaviors may include,
but are not limited to: unwanted sexual advances or requests for sexual
favors; sexual jokes and innuendo; verbal abuse of a sexual nature; catcalls
or touching; insulting or obscene comments or gestures; display or circulation
in the workplace of sexually suggestive objects or pictures (including
through e-mail); and other physical, verbal or visual conduct of a sexual
nature.
Harassment on the basis of any other protected characteristic
as defined above is also strictly prohibited. Under this policy, harassment
is verbal or physical conduct that denigrates or shows hostility or aversion
toward an individual because of his/her race, color, religion, gender,
age, national origin, marital status, sexual orientation, disability
or any other characteristic protected by law or that of his/her relatives,
friends or associates, and that:
(1) has the purpose or effect of creating
an intimidating, hostile or offensive work environment;
(2) has the purpose
or effect of unreasonably interfering with an individual’s work
performance; or
(3) otherwise adversely affects an individual’s
employment opportunities.
Harassing conduct includes, but is not limited
to: epithets, slurs or negative stereotyping; threatening, intimidating
or hostile acts; denigrating jokes and display or circulation in the
workplace of written or graphic material that denigrates or shows hostility
or aversion toward an individual or group (including through e-mail).
Individuals and Conduct Covered
These policies apply to all applicants
and employees, and prohibit harassment, discrimination and retaliation
whether engaged in by fellow employees, by a supervisor or manager or
by someone not directly connected with the Company (e.g. an outside vendor,
consultant, customer).
Conduct prohibited by these policies is unacceptable
in the workplace and in any work-related setting outside the workplace,
such as during business trips, business meetings and business-related
social events.
Retaliation Is Prohibited
The Company prohibits retaliation
against any individual who reports discrimination or harassment in good
faith and with a reasonable belief that discrimination or harassment
has in fact occurred, or participates in an investigation or participates
in such reporting and/or in an investigation of a claim of harassment
or discrimination. Retaliation is a serious violation of this policy
and, like harassment and discrimination itself, will be subject to disciplinary
action.
Reporting an Incident of Harassment,
Discrimination or Retaliation
The Company requires the reporting of all incidents of discrimination,
harassment or retaliation, regardless of the offender’s identity
or position. Individuals who believe they have experienced conduct that
they believe is contrary to Company policy or who have concerns about
such matters should file their complaints, orally or in writing, with
their immediate supervisor or any manager, Corporate Director of Human
Resources & Training, Vice President of Administration or Vice President
of Operations. Individuals should not feel obligated to file their complaints
with their immediate supervisor first before bringing the matter to the
attention of one of the other Company designated representatives identified
above. Any of the designated persons receiving such a complaint must
make a record of the complaint, in writing, including names, details,
dates and times.
Important Notice to all Employees
Employees who have
experienced conduct they believe is contrary to this policy have an obligation
to take advantage of this complaint procedure. An employee’s failure
to fulfill this obligation could affect his or her rights in pursuing
legal action.
Early reporting and intervention have proven to be the
most effective method of resolving actual or perceived incidents of harassment.
Therefore, the Company mandates immediate reporting of complaints or
concerns so that rapid and constructive action can be taken.
The availability
of this complaint procedure does not preclude individuals who believe
they are being subjected to harassing conduct from promptly advising
the offender that his or her behavior is unwelcome and requesting that
it be discontinued, and such behavior is strongly encouraged. If this
does not cause the harassment to stop, the individual must follow the
complaint procedure outlined above.
The Investigation
Any reported allegations
of harassment, discrimination or retaliation will be investigated promptly.
The investigation may include individual interviews with the parties
involved and, where necessary, with individuals who may have observed
the alleged conduct or may have other relevant knowledge.
Confidentiality
will be maintained throughout the investigatory process to the extent
consistent with adequate investigation, appropriate action and the law.
Responsive Action
Misconduct constituting harassment, discrimination
or retaliation will be dealt with appropriately. Responsive action may
include, for example, training, referral to counseling and/or disciplinary
action such as warning, reprimand, withholding of a promotion or pay
increase, reassignment, temporary suspension without pay or termination,
as the Company believes appropriate under the circumstances. Individuals
who have questions or concerns about these policies should contact the
Corporate Director of Human Resources.
Finally, these policies should
not, and may not, be used as a basis for excluding or separating individuals
of a particular gender, or any other protected characteristic, from participating
in business or work-related social activities or discussions in order
to avoid allegations of harassment. The law and the policies of the Company
prohibit disparate treatment on the basis of sex or any other protected
characteristic, with regard to terms, conditions, privileges and prerequisites
of employment. The prohibitions against harassment, discrimination and
retaliation are intended to complement and further these policies, not
to form the basis of an exception to them.
|