(a) Rationale. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission states in its “Guidelines on Discrimination Because of Sex” that sexual harassment is an unlawful employment practice. The purpose of this policy is to unequivocally set forth the City’s position regarding sexual harassment and the procedures to be implemented in order to carry out this policy. The City considers the respectful treatment of all employees to include the absence of sexual harassment from the work place.
(b) Definition. “Sexual harassment” means unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature when:
(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 as the basis for employment decisions affecting such individual; or
(3) Such conduct has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with an individual’s work performance or creating an intimidating, hostile or offensive work environment. For example, the posting or display of materials of a sexual nature may create an offensive work environment.
The City’s employees are prohibited from engaging in any of the conduct described above.
(c) Policy. Our continuing policy is to provide employees a workplace free from any form of sexual harassment. Sexual harassment in any manner or form is expressly prohibited. All claims of sexual harassment will be promptly and thoroughly investigated and corrective action taken if warranted by the results of the investigation. Such action may include disciplinary measures up to and including immediate termination.
(d) Procedures.
(1) An employee who feels that he or she has been subjected to sexual harassment should report the incident immediately in writing to his/her department head.
(2) Complaints will be promptly and thoroughly investigated. Investigations will be designed to protect the reasonable privacy interests of all parties concerned. Disciplinary and corrective actions will be taken dependent upon the circumstances and as appropriate.
(3) If the complaint involves your department head, the incident should be reported directly to the Mayor.
(11-19-96)
(11-19-96)