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SCPDC Anti-Harassment Policy

Anti-Harassment Policy

I. POLICY

It is the policy of South Central Planning & Development Commission (“SCP&DC”) to maintain a work environment free of harassment or discrimination of any type, including that which may relate in any way to an individual’s race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age (40 and above), religion, national origin, disability, or any other protected status. Accordingly, SCP&DC will not tolerate any offensive, intimidating, or hostile conduct from anyone that may interfere with the performance of an employee’s job or endangers the safety and well-being of any employee while on duty or on our premises (including vehicles). Our personal behavior should always be above reproach. Employees must use mature judgment and maintain the highest standards of professional performance and personal conduct at all times. Some examples of prohibited conduct in this context are set forth below:

  1. All types of sexual harassment;

  2. Abusive communications, whether written or verbal, sexual, racial or ethnic slurs or epithets, joking or “kidding” that is offensive to another person;

  3. Threatening or profane language towards others;

  4. Fighting with or assaulting another person;

  5. Pranks, practical jokes or other conduct considered inappropriate by SCP&DC includes circulating written or graphic material that ridicules or shows hostility to a person or group;

  6. Creating a working environment that is intimidating, hostile or offensive or adversely affects an employee’s work performance because of unwelcome comments, requests, demands, physical contact or attention.

II. PREVENTIVE TRAINING

Each SCPDC employee shall receive a minimum of one hour of education and training on preventing sexual harassment for each calendar year during their employment. All employees in management or supervisory positions are also required to complete sexual harassment prevention for supervisors training for each calendar year during their employment. Upon completion of their training course, the employee is required to provide proof of completion to Human Resource staff.

III. PROCEDURES

  1. Any employee who feels that he or she has been subjected to any kind of harassment or discrimination or has any knowledge of any kind of prohibited behavior is to immediately report the alleged incident to their Superior, Chief Administrative Officer (“CAO”), or the Chief Executive Officer (“CEO”). Any supervisor who receives a report of harassment and/or discrimination or believes he or she has observed harassment and/or discrimination is required to promptly notify the CAO or the CEO and follow the complaint procedure outlined below:

  2. Complaint Process

  1. Employees who feel harassed or otherwise discriminated against by a manager, supervisor, co-worker, subordinate, customer, vendor, or other person are encouraged to tell the offending individuals that the behavior is offensive and/or unwelcomed and to stop immediately.

  2. If the offensive behavior does not stop, or if the employee prefers not to initially address the issue with the offending individual, employees are to report such prohibited conduct immediately either to their respective Superior, CAO, or the CEO.

  3. An employee making a complaint may request that his or her identity not be revealed. To the extent that such nondisclosure does not compromise a subsequent investigation, the request will be honored.

  1. All supervisors and managers are to be alert to the possible presence of harassment or discrimination in the workplace and to promptly notify the CAO or the CEO of the following:

  1. Any employee complaint of harassment; or

  2. Any information which indicates an occurrence of workplace harassment as defined by this policy.

In either instance, the supervisor must report any such complaint or suspected occurrence to the CAO or the CEO before taking further action.

  1. The CAO/ and or the CEO will promptly initiate an investigation and work with the appropriate individuals to remedy any problems detected.

  2. An employee will not be subject to retaliation for utilizing this complaint procedure.

  3. Any employee found to have violated this policy is subject to immediate disciplinary action which may include dismissal.

  4. This policy applies to all employees, visitors, vendors, service/sales representatives and all others doing business with the SCP&DC. Under no circumstances should an inappropriate situation be allowed to continue by not reporting it, regardless of the offending party.

IV. ANNUAL REPORTING

The Human Resource and/or Accounting Manager compiles an annual report containing information from the previous calendar year regarding the agency’s compliance which includes the number and percentage of staff that completed their required training, the number of sexual harassment complaints received, the number of complaints which resulted in a finding that sexual harassment occurred, the number of complaints which resulted in discipline or corrective action and the time it took to resolve each complaint. This report does not contain any names of parties involved or any specific case information related to any complaints. Upon completion, the report is reviewed and approved by the CAO and CEO; thence available to the public in accordance with public records law.