Section VI - Employment Matters

VI B 9

Employee Conduct - Harassment and Discrimination

To state RCC’s commitment to provide an environment for learning and working that is free of discrimination and unlawful harassment and to specify the process for reporting harassment

It is the policy of Randolph Community College to maintain a working environment free from harassment and intimidation of any kind, including harassment based on race, color, religion, gender, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, marital status, political affiliation, status as a covered veteran, or any other group legally protected in accordance with applicable federal, state and local laws. Randolph Community College prohibits discrimination and unlawful harassment including freedom from sexual harassment of its employees and students in any form. RCC will take whatever steps are necessary to achieve this type of environment for its employees and students.

Prohibited harassment can take the form of words, actions, or both. Examples of harassment include: (1) epithets, slurs, negative stereotyping, and threatening, intimidating, or hostile acts; (2) written or graphic material (for example, pictures or cartoons) possessed, posted or circulated in the workplace. No one should imply or threaten an employee or student that unwelcome harassment (or refusal thereof) will have any effect on an individual’s employment, assignment, compensation, advancement, career development, or any condition or term of employment.

Sexual Harassment:

  1. Quid Pro Quo Sexual Harassment:

    1. Workplace benefit promised, given to, or withheld from harassee by harasser
    2. In exchange for sexual activity by harassee
    3. Generally accompanied by a paper trail (e.g., promotion, raise, or termination paperwork).

  2. Hostile Environment Sexual Harassment:

    Activity by harasser, toward harasee that

    1. Is unwanted by the harasee.
    2. Is based on harasee’s gender.
    3. Creates for harassee a hostile or abusive work environment.
    4. Unreasonably interferes with harassee’s ability to do his or her job.
    5. Is sufficiently severe and/or pervasive.
    6. Affects a term or condition of harassee’s employment.
Sexual Harassment conduct may result in disciplinary action up to and including dismissal. Specifically, no supervisor/instructor shall threaten or insinuate, either explicitly or implicitly, that any employee's or student's submission to or rejection of sexual advances will in any way influence any decision regarding the employee's or student's (where applicable) employment, evaluation, salary, advancement, assigned duties, shifts, grades, or any other condition of employment, career, or educational development.

Other sexually harassing conduct in the workplace, whether physical or verbal, committed by supervisory or non-supervisory personnel is also prohibited. This includes offensive sexual flirtation, advances, propositions, continual or repeated abuse of a sexual nature, graphic verbal commentary about an individual's body, sexually degrading words to describe an individual, and the display in the workplace of sexually suggestive objects or pictures.

Retaliation or discrimination against an employee for reporting or complaining about harassment is also prohibited. However, employee and students should recognize that false accusations of harassment can have serious effects on innocent employees. This form of misconduct will result in disciplinary action.

Randolph Community College trusts that all employees and students will act in a responsible and professional manner to establish a pleasant working environment free of discrimination and harassment.

Reporting:

Employees who have complaints of sexual or other unlawful harassment or discrimination should report such conduct in writing to their supervisors. If this is not appropriate, they should report such conduct in writing to the Director of Human Resources. Students should report such conduct to the Student Services Counselor and Disability Services Coordinator. All complaints of sexual or other unlawful harassment or discrimination will be handled in a timely and confidential manner. Where investigations confirm the allegations, appropriate corrective action will be taken.

Zero Tolerance Statement:

RCC is committed to maintaining a safe, healthy, and positive work and learning environment. Since RCC is a public institution, all behavior which is prohibited by federal, state, and local laws is prohibited on the campus or off the campus during an institutional activity, function, or event and will be referred to the proper authorities for action. Students and employees may be suspended for disposition of court action for any violation of a criminal law committed on campus or off campus at an instructionally sponsored function. Additionally, students may be removed from classes and employees removed from duty pending action on charges during an investigation or appeal for reasons relating to his/her physical or emotional safety and well-being of other students, faculty, employees, or College property.

 

Adopted: 04/15/1999

Revised: 10/19/2000, 01/17/2002, 04/10/2003, 07/17/2008, 09/19/2013