Harrassment Policy

GENERAL HARASSMENT

In providing a productive working environment, the Town of Huntertown believes that its employees should be able to enjoy a workplace free from all forms of harassment on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, national origin, age and disability. It is the Town of Huntertown's policy to provide an environment free from such harassment.

It is against the policy of the Town of Huntertown for any employees, whether manager, supervisor, or coworker, to harass another employee. Prohibited harassment occurs when verbal or physical conduct that defames or shows hostility toward an individual because of her race, color, religion, gender, national origin, age or disability; creates or is intended to create a hostile or offensive working environment; interferes with or is intended to interfere with an individual's work performance; or otherwise adversely affects an individual's employment opportunities.

Harassing conduct includes, but is not limited to, epithets, slurs, negative stereotyping, threatening, intimidating or hostile acts, which are related to race, color, religion, gender, national origin or disability.

Written or graphic material that defames or shows hostility or aversion toward an individual or group because of race, color, religion, gender, national origin, age or disability, and that is placed on walls, bulletin boards, computers or elsewhere on the town's premises, or that is circulated in the workplace will not be tolerated.

Any employee who believes he/she has been harassed in violation of this policy should report the conduct immediately to his/her supervisor.

A thorough and impartial investigation of all complaints will be conducted in a timely and confidential manner. Any employee of the Town of Huntertown who has been found, after appropriate investigation, to have harassed another employee in violation of this policy will be subject to severe disciplinary action up to and including termination.

BULLY POLICY

The Town of Huntertown defines bullying as unwelcome or unreasonable behavior that demeans, intimidates or humiliates people either as individuals or as a group.
Bullying behavior is often persistent and part of a pattern, but can also be an aspect of group behavior. Such behavior violates the Town of Huntertown's culture which clearly states that all employees will be treated with respect and compassion.

The purpose of this policy is to communicate to all employees, including supervisors, directors and executives that the Town of Huntertown will not in any instance tolerate bullying behavior. Employees found in violation of this policy will be disciplined, up to, an include termination.

Bullying may be intentional or unintentional. The Town of Huntertown considers the following types of behavior examples of bullying:

  • Verbal Bullying: slandering, ridiculing or defaming a person or his/her family; persistent name calling which is hurtful, insulting or humiliating; using a person as butt of jokes; abusive and offensive remarks.
  • Physical Bulling: pushing; shoving; kicking; poking; tripping; assault, or threat of physical assault; damage to a person's work area or property.
  • Gesture Bullying: non-verbal threatening gestures; glances which can convey threatening messages.
  • Exclusion: socially or physically excluding or disregarding a person in work related activities.

The following examples may constitute or contribute to evidence of bullying in the workplace:

  • Persistent singling out of one person.
  • Shouting, raising voice at an individual in public and/or in private.
  • Using verbal or obscene gestures.
  • Not allowing the person to speak or express him/herself. i.e. ignoring or interrupting.
  • Personal insults and use of offensive nicknames.
  • Public humiliation in any form.
  • Constant criticism on matters unrelated or minimally related to the person's job performance or description.
  • Ignoring/interrupting an individual at meetings.
  • Public reprimands.
  • Repeatedly accusing someone of errors which cannot be documented.
  • Deliberately interfering with mail and other communications.
  • Spreading rumors and gossip regarding individuals.
  • Encouraging others to disregard a supervisor's instructions.
  • Manipulating the ability of someone to do their work (withholding information, setting meaningless task, setting deadlines that cannot be met, giving deliberately vague instructions).
  • Inflicting menial task not in keeping with the normal responsibilities of the job.
  • Taking credit for another person's ideas.
  • Refusing reasonable requests for leaving in the absence of work-related reasons not to grant leave.
  • Deliberately excluding an individual or isolating them from work-related activities (meetings, etc.)
  • Unwanted physical contact, physical abuse or threats of abuse to an individual or an individual's property (defacing or marking up property).
  • Any employee who feels he or she has been victimized by bullying is encouraged to report the matter to his or her supervisor. Where appropriate, an investigation will be undertaken and appropriate disciplinary or corrective action, ranging from a warning to termination, can be expected.

SEXUAL AND RACIAL HARASSMENT

Committing sexual and racial harassment, or allowing or enabling it to continue, whether in writing, speech, visual or audio display, gestures or other conduct or actions are serious violations against society and will be severely punished. Victims of such harassment are encouraged to report violations to the Superintendent or the Town Council, who then must take disciplinary actions, up to, and including, termination.