Sexual and Other Unlawful Harassment

703 Sexual and Other Unlawful Harassment

Effective Date:

Revision Date:

Sni Valley is committed to providing a work environment that is free from all forms of discrimination and conduct that can be considered harassing, coercive, or disruptive, including sexual harassment. Unlawful harassment includes physical actions, words, jokes, or comments based on an individual's sex, race, color, national origin, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation, or any other legally protected characteristic that puts down, is negative toward and/or shows hostility toward an individual, his/her relatives, or friends and that:

*Has the purpose or effect of creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive workenvironment;

*Has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with an individual's workperformance; or

*Otherwise adversely affects an individual's employment opportunities.

Harassing conduct includes, but is not limited to:

*Epithets, slurs, negative stereotyping, threats, intimidation, and hostile acts that arerelated to race, color religion, gender, national origin, age, disability, sexual

orientation; and

*Written or graphic material that denigrates or shows hostility or aversion toward anindividual or group because of race, color, religion, gender, national origin, age,

disability, or sexual orientation and that is placed on walls, bulletin boards, or

elsewhere on District premises or circulated in the workplace.

Sexual harassment is defined as unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature when:

*Submission to such conduct is made either explicitly or implicitly a term or conditionof employment;

*Submission or rejection of the conduct is used as a basis for making employmentdecisions; or

*The conduct has the purpose or effect of interfering with work performance orcreating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive work environment.

Verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature includes, but is not limited to the following:

*Unwanted touching, pats, squeezes, massages*Repeated brushing against someone's body*Sexual remarks about someone's body or sexual activities*Suggestive looks, staring, leers*Suggestive touching of one's own body*Repeated requests for dates*Written or verbal sexual propositions or innuendoes*Suggestive gestures

Unlawful harassment, including sexual harassment, is incompatible with the District's belief that employees and members should be treated with respect and dignity. Even conduct that is intended to be "innocent" may still constitute sexual harassment if it falls within the terms of this policy. If any employee or member expresses concern that your behavior may have violated this policy, please respect his/her concerns. Regardless of your intent, how others interpret your behavior is important. This policy is not meant to interfere with or discourage friendships among employees and/or members. However, employees and members must be sensitive to acts or conduct that may be considered offensive by other employees and/or members. It is the responsibility of all management personnel to themselves refrain from unlawful harassment, including sexual harassment, and to ensure that employees and members do not engage in such conduct.

If you experience or witness sexual or other unlawful harassment in the workplace, report it immediately to your supervisor. If the supervisor is unavailable or you believe it would be inappropriate to contact that person, you should immediately contact the Fire Chief or any other member of management. You can raise concerns and make reports without fear of reprisal or retaliation. The District prohibits retaliation made against any employee/member who lodges a good faith complaint of sexual harassment, or who participates in any related investigation. The District recognizes that making false accusations of harrassment in bad faith can have serious consequences for those who are wrongly accused. The District prohibits deliberately making false and/or malicious harassment allegations, as well as deliberately providing false information during an investigation. Anyone who violates this rule is subject to disciplinary action, up to and including termination.

All allegations of sexual harassment will be quickly and discreetly investigated. To the extent possible, your confidentiality and that of any witnesses and the alleged harasser will be protected against unnecessary disclosure. The District will make every effort to ensure that those named in the report, or are too closely associated with those involved in the report, will not be part of the investigation. The District reserves the right and hereby provides notice that third parties may be used to investigate sexual and other types of harassment claims. When the investigation is completed, you will be informed of the outcome of the investigation.

Any supervisor or manager who becomes aware of possible sexual or other unlawful harassment must immediately advise the Fire Chief or any member of management so it can be investigated in a timely and confidential manner. You are not required to directly confront the person who is the source of your report, question or complaint before notifying any of those individuals listed. Nevertheless, you are required to make a reasonable effort to make harassment or discrimination known should it exist. Anyone engaging in sexual or other unlawful harassment will be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including termination of employment.

Policy No.  703  Issued  6/29/2000  Applicable  5/17/2004