Inside AGU: Leadership
	Statutes and Bylaws • Developing Union Positions • Harassment Policy
	Harassment Policy
	Statement | Scope | Def. of Sexual Harassment | Def. of Other Harassment | Reporting | Disciplinary Action | Investigation

Dealing With Harassment by Staff, Volunteers, and Vendors

Statement of Policy

AGU's policy is to insist upon mutually respectful interactions between people and to strictly comply with all laws applicable to AGU activities. United States federal and most state laws strictly prohibit sexual harassment, as well as harassment based on race, color, religion, gender, national origin, age, and disability.

AGU's policy specifically prohibits sexual harassment, as well as harassment based on race, color, religion, gender, national origin, age, sexual orientation, and disability by or against any staff member, vendor, customer, officer or other member engaged in an AGU activity. Violators of the policy will be subject to discipline. Those bringing complaints will not be subjected to discipline or retaliation for complaining.

Scope of Policy

This policy includes, but is not limited to, official AGU activities, such as day-to-day operations, meetings, publication, education programs, committee activities, sales etc. The policy does not apply to conduct having no relationship to employment, member participation in AGU activities, or other business relationships.

Definition of Sexual Harassment

Sexual harassment refers to unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature. Behavior and language that are welcome/ acceptable to one individual many be unwelcome/offensive to another. Consequently, individuals must use discretion to ensure that their words and actions communicate respect for others. This is especially important for individuals in positions of authority because individuals with lower rank or status may be reluctant to express their objections or discomfort regarding unwelcome behavior.

The following are examples of behavior that when unwelcome may constitute sexual harassment:

• Sexual flirtations, advances, or propositions
• Verbal comments or physical actions of a sexual nature
• Sexually degrading words used to describe an individual
• A display of sexually suggestive objects or pictures
• Sexually explicit jokes
• Unnecessary touching

Sexual harassment is considered to have occurred when:

• Submission to conduct such as that listed above is made either explicitly or implicitly a term or condition of an individual's employment, participation in volunteer service and/or programs, or other business relationship.
• Submission to or rejection of such conduct by an individual is used as the basis for employment, participation in volunteer service and/or programs, or any business relationship decision affecting such individual.
• Such conduct has the purpose or effect of interfering with an individual's work performance or creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive working or business environment.

Definition of Other Work-Related Harassment

Harassment on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, national origin, age, sexual orientation, or disability prohibited by this policy includes:

• epithets, slurs, negative stereotyping or threatening, intimidating or hostile acts, that relate to race, color, religion, gender, national origin, age, sexual orientation, or disability; and
• written or graphic material that denigrates or shows hostility or aversion toward an individual or group because of race, color, religion, gender, national origin, age, sexual orientation, or disability and that is circulated or placed on walls, bulletin boards, or elsewhere in work-related environments.

Reporting and Investigating of Incidents of Harassment

All incidents of harassment involving any AGU staff member, officer or other member engaged in an AGU activity, and/or vendor should be reported immediately to AGU's General Secretary, Executive Director or another member of the Executive Committee or AGU's Human Resources Manager. All harassment complaints will be treated seriously and will be investigated promptly. Confidentiality will be maintained so far as realistically possible.

Disciplinary Action

Individuals engaging in harassment prohibited by this policy and those making allegations of harassment in bad faith will be subject to disciplinary action. Such actions range from a verbal warning to termination of employment, or affiliation, or other business relationship depending upon the gravity of the offense and whether it is an initial or repeated offense.

Investigation and Elements of a Fair Process

1. The investigator must be impartial, with an open mind until the end. Anyone who believes that he or she has a conflict of interest, should not serve as an investigator.
2. In most cases the complainant will be interviewed first and the written complaint reviewed. If the complainant has not already written a formal complaint, he or she should be asked to do so.
3. The nature of the complaint should be explained to the respondent, who should have the opportunity to understand the major elements of the complaint. The respondent should be told the nature of the concerns in sufficient detail so that he or she has a reasonable chance to defend or explain himself or herself with respect to each concern.
4. The respondent should be given a reasonable chance to respond to the evidence of the complainant and to bring his or her own evidence.
5. If the facts are in dispute, further investigatory steps may include interviewing those named as witnesses.
6. If for any reason the investigator(s) is in doubt about whether or how to continue they will seek appropriate counsel.
7. When the investigation is complete, the investigator(s) should report the findings to decision makers.

This is a brief summary of AGU's policy on Dealing with Harassment. The full policy and process are available from AGU's Human Resources Manager.
This document relies heavily on the guide, Dealing with Harassment at MIT. 1993 Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
—Adopted by Council, December 8, 1994

Inside AGU
AGU Leadership