SayPro Harassment Policy

Description

Harassment Policy

Companies have a zero tolerance policy towards any form of harassment in the workplace. All complaints of harassment will be promptly and confidently investigated by the Company/Store and appropriate action, including possible termination, will be taken against those who violate this policy. Additionally, persons who engage in sexual harassment may be held civilly and/or criminally liable for their actions.

Following the Basic Conditions of Employment Act; all persons should be treated with dignity and respect and make personnel decisions without regard to race, sex, age, color, national origin, religion, or disability. And most companies strive to provide everyone a workplace that is free of harassment of any kind. Employees are encouraged to promptly report incidences of harassment.

Sexual Harassment

All employees have a right to be free from sexual harassment and it should not be allowed or condoned in any way whiter by actions, words, jokes, or comments that a reasonable person would regard as sexually harassing or intimidating.

Definition of Sexual Harassment

“Unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature constitute sexual harassment when submission to or rejection of this conduct explicitly or implicitly affects an individual’s employment, unreasonably interferes with an individual’s work performance, or creates an intimidating, hostile, or offensive work environment.”

Types of Sexual Harassment

Sexual harassment may take many forms, for example:

Verbal sexual harassment

§ Whispering in an obvious way about the way a person looks, walks, talks, or sits

§ Displaying written or graphic sexual material

§ Soliciting dates or sex

§ Repeatedly talking about sex or describing sexual acts

§ Constant, aggressive and unwanted attention, directly or indirectly, of a sexual nature

§ Threatening consequences if (sexual) attention is not reciprocated

§ Making sexual references to a person’s clothing or body

§ Telling offensive sexual jokes

§ Making suggestive noises

§ Making sexually oriented comments about weight, body shape, or size

Physical sexual harassment

§ Invasion of personal space

§ Cornering another person

§ Attempts to kiss or fondle

§ Physical attack

§ Attempted rape or rape

§ Inappropriate touching, patting, hugging, or brushing against a person’s body

§ Gestures and other behaviors

Employees need to be concerned not only with the intent of their actions of this kind but also the effects; while sexual harassment involves repeated, unwanted sexual attention, persons involved in isolated or inadvertent incidents demonstrate insensitivity toward others. Repeated occurrences will be considered intentional violations of the policy.

Complaint Procedures

Anyone who feels it necessary to discuss what may appear to be sexual harassment should report the harassment promptly to at least two people who are in a supervisory or management capacity. The report should be kept as confidential as possible. A prompt and thorough investigation should be made. If a claim is substantiated, the company will take immediate and appropriate action, including discipline and possible termination of contract of such culprits in most instances; however each company will have policies and procedures thereof.

Adherence to Harassment Policy

All employees are required to adhere to the policy prohibiting discrimination and harassment while on Company premises—engaging in work-related activities, company-sponsored training, or other functions.

Employee Responsibility

It is the responsibility of every employee to prevent discrimination and harassment. Also, every employee has the right to tell a person, in a professional manner, to stop behavior toward him or her that the employee believes to be discriminatory, harassing, and/or offensive. Any employee who feels subjected to discrimination or harassment should immediately report it to his or her human resources representative, or area manager, or franchise owner or human resource representative.

Management’s Responsibility

Management employees who witness or receive reports of discriminatory or harassing behavior are required to take appropriate action, including immediately reporting such behavior to local human resources, the area manager, or franchise owner or human resource representative. Management employees who fail to promptly report such behavior may be subject to discipline in line with that particular company’s rules and regulations.