A study - Alliance for a Just Society

HARASSMENT ANDDISCRIMINATIONModel PolicySubjectHarassment and DiscriminationReferenceEffective DateJanuary 2002NumberSpecial InstructionsDistribution Reevaluation Date No. Pages3I. PURPOSEThe purpose of this policy is to maintain a healthywork environment in which all individuals are treatedwith respect and dignity and to provide proceduresfor reporting, investigating and resolving complaintsof harassment and discrimination. All employeesmust be aware that they may not engage in any actsthat threaten, intimidate, harass, demean or tormentfellow employees irrespective of whether the employeeis a member of a protected class.II.It is a violation of this policy even if the act was not sosevere or pervasive as to alter the condition of the victim'semployment and/or create an abusive workenvironment. However, the complained of activitymust be objectively unreasonable. A single act maysuffice. To determine if the activity is unreasonable,the totality of the circumstances surrounding the incidentmust be assessed.POLICYIt is the policy of this law enforcement agency that allemployees have the right to work in an environmentfree of all forms of harassment and discrimination byemployees, whether sworn civilian or volunteer, orother non-employees who conduct business with thisagency. This agency considers harassment and dis -crimination of others serious employee misconduct.III. DEFINITIONSHarassment: Any form of conduct that is objectivelyunreasonable or offensive and that could result in ahostile or intimidating working environment.Discrimination: A failure to treat all persons equallywhere no reasonable distinction can be found betweenthose favored and those not favored.Office of Professional Standards (OPS): The agencyunit/function responsible for monitoring adherence ofemployees to agency policy, procedures and rules andfor conducting investigations of allegations ofemployee misconduct.IV. PROHIBITED ACTIVITIESA. Prohibited activity under this policy includes butis not limited to the following:1. Individuals covered under this policy includeagency members defined as employees andapplicants for employment with the agency,whether sworn, regular, reserve, or civilian,and all volunteers.2. No employee shall either explicitly or implicit -ly ridicule, mock, deride or belittle any person.3. Employees shall not make offensive or deroga -tory comments to any person, either directly orindirectly.4. No employee shall engage in activity such asslander, sabotage, ostracism, badgering, with -holding resources, disruptive treatment and/orconduct that intimidates or is hostile, whetherthis conduct is of a sexual nature or not. Norshall any employee allow non-employees whoconduct business with this police agency toengage in such activity. All prohibited acts ofthese types will be judged on the basis of con -duct that is "objectively reasonable."5. Sexual harassment is defined as unwelcomesexual advances, requests for sexual favors,and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexualnature when:a. submission to such conduct is made eitherexplicitly or implicitly a term or conditionof employment; or