The Library is committed to maintaining a work environment in which all individuals are treated with respect and dignity. Each individual has the right to work in a professional atmosphere which is free of discriminatory practices including harassment. Harassment of any individual by any person or group because of the individual’s race, color, religion, sex, age, national original, disability, sexual orientation or for any other reason will not be tolerated.
Employees, patrons, vendors, volunteers, or other visitors are subject to this policy.
Definitions:
Sexual Harassment - Section 703 of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act specifically defines sexual harassment as “Unwelcome sexual advances, requests for 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 a 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.”
Examples of sexual harassment include, but are not limited to, unwanted sexual advances, demands for sexual favors in exchange for favorable treatment or continued employment; repeated sexual jokes, flirtations, advances or propositions; verbal abuse of a sexual nature; graphic, verbal commentary about an individual’s body, sexual prowess or sexual deficiencies; leering; whistling; touching; pinching; assault; coerced sexual acts; suggestive, insulting, obscene comments or gestures; and display in the work place of sexually suggestive objects or pictures.
• Harassment based on race, religion, color, national origin, age or disability – Any conduct by way of words, actions, gestures, pictures or other behavior that creates or has the potential to create an intimidating, hostile or offensive work environment for any individual or group of individuals.
Examples include disparaging statements about a person’s heritage, race, religion, color, etc. This includes jokes, gestures and epithets that have negative connotations. Guidelines
Employees, patrons, or others who feel they have experienced any form of harassment by co-workers, supervisors, patrons or outsiders visiting or conducting business at the Library are encouraged to make a personal effort to handle the situation. Oftentimes harassment problems can effectively be stopped at the personal level.
Procedure
If a problem persists after the individual’s personal effort, or if the individual does not feel comfortable addressing the issue on a personal level, the procedure below must be followed:
• File a written complaint with your supervisor, the Human Resources Director, or the Library Director. Prompt reporting of complaints is strongly encouraged as it allows for prompt response and resolution. However, there is no limited time frame for the reporting of harassment complaints.
The Human Resources Director and/or Library Director, will: • Review the written complaint from the individual.
- Investigate the allegations by reviewing the facts presented, interviewing the person(s) named in the complaint and any potential witness(s) to the alleged harassment and by collecting any evidence to support or refute the validity of the complaint.
- Attempt to determine the frequency/type of harassment.
- Review and investigate the complaint with every reasonable effort to respect theconfidentiality of the parties involved to the extent consistent with a thorough investigation.
- Upon completion of the investigation, make a decision as to the appropriate action to be taken.
- When a harassment complaint is determined to have validity, the Library will take appropriate disciplinary action, up to and including, discharge against the responsible person(s). The severity of the disciplinary action will be determined based on the circumstances of the situation, including the nature and frequency of harassment.
Since false accusations of harassment can have serious effects on innocent people, disciplinary action may also result for false accusations.
Kenton County Public Library will not retaliate against an individual who in good faith makes a report of harassment. Anyone found to have retaliated against an individual for reporting harassment or against anyone participating in the investigation of a complaint will be subject to appropriate disciplinary action, up to and including, termination.
