Sexual Harassment Policy
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Section Name: Employee Relations Effective Date: January 1, 1984
Section Number: 400 Date of Revision: November 26, 1996
Policy Number: 424
Page: 1 of 3
Subject: Sexual Harassment
1. Purpose: The purpose of this policy is to contribute to a quality work environment
for all employees and future employees and to inform each person of their rights and
their responsibilities in achieving that goal with respect to each person being free
from intimidation, humiliation, insult, or from being subjected to offensive physical
or verbal abuse or actions, direct or insinuated, based on a person's sex.
2. Statement of Policy:
2.1 Sexual Harassment is a violation of state and federal law as well as this
County policy.
2.2 It is the policy of the County to undertake such action as may be necessary to
ensure employees and the work environment are free from sexual
harassment in any form.
2.3 All Department Heads shall make all reasonable efforts to ensure his or her
workplace/department is free of sexual harassment at all times.
2.4 Each employee has the responsibility and obligation to report any act(s) of
sexual harassment.
2.5 Employee should immediately report all instances of sexual harassment to
the Department Head and to the Human Resources Director. The Human
Resources Director will promptly investigate the complaint. All complaints
will be investigated in as discreet and confidential a manner as possible. No
individual will be adversely affected in employment with the County as a
result of bringing a good faith complaint of any harassment.
2.6 All persons found to have engaged in sexual harassment will be subject to
discipline up to and including discharge.
3. Definitions:
3.1 Sexual Harassment. Sexual Harassment refers to unwelcome sexual
advances, requests for sexual favors and other verbal or physical conduct or
communication of a sexual nature when any of the following occur:
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(a) Submission to such conduct is made either explicitly or implicitly as
a term or condition of employment;
(b) Submission to or a rejection of such conduct by an individual is used
as a basis for employment decisions; such as discharge, promotion,
transfer, work assignment, etc., or
(c) Such conduct has the purpose or effect of interfering with an
individual’s work performance or creates an intimidating, hostile or
offensive work environment.
3.1 Prohibited Conduct. Includes, but is not limited to the following actions:
(a) Making derogatory comments, insults, suggestive remarks or jokes
based on a person’s sex;
(b) Display of photographs, cartoons or drawings that would be
offensive to a reasonable person;
(c) Conduct which when viewed by a reasonable person would have the
purpose or effect of degrading or creating an intimidating, hostile or
offensive work environment;
(d) Propositions or requests for sexual favors;
(e) Physical contact which is sexual in nature;
(f) Stating or implying that deficient job performance is attributable to a
person’s gender, or
(g) Possession (while on County property or while working) of materials
of any kind, such as magazines, calendars, etc., which are degrading
to an individual or group on the basis of sex (or any other protected
characteristic).
4. Application: This policy shall apply to all employees and officials of the County
of Monroe.
5. Responsibility: The Human Resources Director and appropriate Department
Heads or Elected Officials shall have the responsibility for overseeing and
implementing this policy.
6. Administrative Procedures:
6.1 Purpose: The purpose of this procedure is to implement Monroe
County Policy No. 95-23, the County’s Sexual Harassment Policy.
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6.2 Complaint.
(a) Any employee who believes he or she has been the subject of any
harassment should report the incident immediately to their
supervisor. The employee’s supervisor shall then immediately notify
the next level supervisor and the Human Resources Director about
the complaint.
(b) In those cases where the immediate supervisor was a participant in
the prohibited activity; condoned the activity; failed to report the
incident; or if the employee is uncomfortable discussing the
complaint with the supervisor, the employee may at his or her own
choosing by-pass the immediate supervisor and discuss or submit a
written complaint directly to the Human Resources Director.
6.3 Investigation. The Human Resources Director, in consultation with the
person receiving the complaint, shall investigate the employee’s complaint.
The investigation shall include interviews with the complaining employee,
the person accused of sexual harassment and any potential witnesses.
6.4 Action. If sexual harassment is found to have occurred, disciplinary action
up to and including discharge shall be taken against the offending party.
7. Legislative History of Authority for Creation or Revision.
Adopted pursuant to action of the Monroe County Board of
Commissioners dated January 1, 1984.
Revised pursuant to action of the Monroe County Board of
Commissioners, dated April 1, 1989, January 1995 and November 26, 1996.