Treatment of Individuals or Groups - Prejudice and Discrimination
Harassment
According to Wikipedia (2012), harassment is a repetitive action with the intent to disturb or upset a targeted individual or group. Forms of harassment can be legal, sexual, verbal, or psychological in nature.
Workplace Harassment
Workplace harassment is any unwelcome/unwanted conduct belittling or showing hostility toward a protected legal category and a form of discrimination violating federal laws. Harassment becomes unlawful when unwelcome/unwanted conduct is so pervasive that a reasonable person would consider intimidating, hostile, and abusive or a supervisor's harassing conduct results in a tangible change in an employee's employment status or benefits -demotion, pay cut, reduced hours, etc. When harassment becomes so apparent that it interferes with an employee's work performance or creates an intimidating or offensive work environment, the workplace is considered hostile. Anyone can be affected by a hostile workplace, not just the victim.
Sexual Harassment
Sexual harassment is any unwelcome/unwanted conduct of a sexual nature and is subject to laws associated with discrimination. Whether intentional or not, anyone affected by offensive conduct can claim sexual harassment.
For specific assistance with any form of harassment, contact the Office of Equity and Employee Relations at 703-791-8071 or PWCSequity@pwcs.edu.
Retaliation
The school division expressly prohibits retaliation against anyone engaging in protected activity. Anti-discrimination laws prohibit harassment against individuals in retaliation for filing a discrimination charge, testifying, or participating in any way in an investigation, proceeding, or lawsuit under these laws; or opposing employment practices that they reasonably believe discriminate against individuals, in violation of these laws.
Discrimination- and Harassment-Free Workplace
Any personnel acting in a supervisory role is responsible for maintaining a workplace free of harassment and discrimination and will take immediate and appropriate action reasonably calculated to end the harassment upon witnessing or receiving report(s) of harassment. Supervisors should immediately consult with the Office of Equity and Employee Relations for appropriate action once they know about potential harassment and/or discrimination.
Any personnel acting in a supervisory role who engages in harassment and/or discriminatory conduct will be investigated once it is made known to the Office of Equity and Employee Relations. Employees and applicants have a responsibility to refrain from engaging in any behavior that violates this policy while at work and during work-related functions. Employees who experience or observe any job-related harassment or believe they have been treated in a discriminatory manner are expected to report the incident(s) to management in order to correct and prevent further harassment.