HARASSMENT-FREE WORKPLACE
We are also committed to respecting the dignity of every employee and expect every employee to show respect for all of our colleagues, clients, and vendors. Respectful, professional conduct furthers the Company's mission, promotes productivity, minimizes disputes, and enhances our reputation. Accordingly, this policy prohibits any unwelcome conduct that is based on an individual's race, color, creed, gender, religion, marital status, age, national origin or ancestry, physical or mental disability, medical condition including genetic characteristics, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran status or any other protected status of an individual or that individual's associates or relatives. The Company thus is committed to providing a work environment that is free of unlawful discrimination, including harassment that is based on any legally protected status. The Company will not tolerate any form of harassment that violates this policy.
Coverage
Our anti-harassment policy applies to all persons involved in our business, including office personnel, supervisors, managers, owners, employees, co-workers, vendors, contractors and customers. Everyone is responsible for assuring that the workplace is free from prohibited harassment and discrimination and is expected to avoid behavior or conduct that could reasonably be interpreted as prohibited harassment or discrimination.
Sexual Harassment
Sexual harassment is a problem that deserves special mention. Harassing conduct based on gender often is sexual in nature but sometimes is not. This policy forbids harassment based on gender regardless of whether the offensive conduct is sexual in nature. Any unwelcome conduct based on gender is also forbidden by this policy regardless of whether the individual engaged in harassment and the individual being harassed are of the same or are of different genders.
According to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission ("EEOC"), unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal, physical or visual conduct based on sex constitute unlawful sexual harassment when : (1) submission to the conduct is made a term or condition of employment; (2) submission to or rejection of the conduct is used as a basis for employment decisions affecting the individual; or (3) the conduct has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with the employee's work performance or creating an intimidating, hostile or offensive working environment.
This policy forbids harassment based on gender regardless of whether it rises to the level of a legal violation. Examples of gender-based harassment forbidden by this policy include: unwanted sexual advances; offering employment benefits in exchange for sexual favors; making or threatening reprisals after a negative response to sexual advances; visual conduct such as leering, making sexual gestures, or displaying sexually suggestive objects, pictures, cartoons or posters; verbal conduct such as making or using derogatory comments, epithets, slurs, sexually explicit jokes or comments about any employee's body or dress; verbal sexual advances or propositions; verbal abuse of a sexual nature, graphic verbal commentary about an individual's body, sexually degrading words to describe an individual, or suggestive or obscene letters, notes or invitations; physical conduct such as touching, assault or impeding or blocking movements; and retaliation for reporting harassment or threatening to report harassment.
Complaint Procedures and Our Response
We encourage all employees to report any incidents of discrimination or harassment forbidden by this policy immediately so that complaints can be quickly and fairly resolved. If you witness or believe you have been subjected to discrimination or harassment, you must immediately report the incident(s). You have several options to report the incident(s):
1) Call the 24 Hour, Toll Free Harassment Hotline Number at 888-406-1147 and follow the instructions provided;
or
2) Complete the Harassment Incident Report form found in your Employee Booklet (or request a copy) and return it to the Branch Manager in the LABOR FINDERS office or anyone else in management
or
3) Complete the Harassment Incident Report form found in your Employee Booklet (or request a copy) and mail the form to Labor Finders HR, PO Box 785, Manassas Park, VA 20113.
This policy does not require reporting harassment to any individual who is creating the harassment. Detailed reports - including names, descriptions, and actual events or statements made - will greatly enhance our ability to investigate. Any documents supporting the allegations should also be submitted.
Based on your report, we will conduct an effective, thorough and objective investigation. The Company may put certain interim measures in place, such as a leave of absence or a transfer, while the investigation proceeds. The Company will take further appropriate action once the report has been thoroughly investigated. That action may be a conclusion that a violation occurred, as explained immediately below. The Company might also conclude, depending on the circumstances, either that no violation of policy occurred or that the Company cannot conclude whether or not a violation occurred.
If an investigation reveals that a violation of this policy or other inappropriate conduct has occurred, then the Company will take corrective action, including discipline up to and including dismissal, as is appropriate under the circumstances, regardless of the job positions of the parties involved. The Company may discipline an employee for any inappropriate conduct discovered in investigating reports made under this policy, regardless of whether the conduct amounts to a violation of law or even a violation of this policy. If the person who engaged in harassment is not employed by the Company, then the Company will take whatever corrective action is reasonable and appropriate under the circumstances.
Prohibited Retaliation
The Company forbids that any employee treat any other employee or former employee or applicant adversely for reporting harassment, for assisting another employee or applicant in making a report, for cooperating in a harassment investigation, or for filing an administrative claim with the EEOC or a state governmental agency. All employees who experience or witness any conduct they believe to be retaliatory should immediately follow the reporting procedures stated above.
Confidentiality
During an investigation and in imposing any discipline, we will attempt to keep the investigation as confidential as allowed by the situation. Employees who participate in an investigation also are expected to keep the details of the situation confidential.
Administrative Complaint Process
If you are not satisfied with our response, you may also contact the United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission or the appropriate state agency, who investigates complaints of prohibited harassment and discrimination in employment. The nearest office is listed in the telephone book. Contact information and a description of your rights can also be found on posted notices at the LABOR FINDERS office. (Last Revised 04/29/2013)