Non-discrimination and harassment

Adopted by Spokane Public Library Board of Trustees on April 17, 2012.

1. GENERAL

The Spokane Public Library is committed to a work environment in which all individuals are treated with respect and dignity. Employees, volunteers and library customers have the right to work or to receive services in a professional atmosphere that promotes equal opportunities and prohibits discriminatory practices, including harassment. Therefore, the Spokane Public Library expects that all relationships among persons in the library will be business-like and free of bias, prejudice and harassment.

This policy is divided into the following sections:

SECTION 1 – GENERAL

SECTION 2 – STATEMENT OF POLICY

SECTION 3 – DEFINITIONS

SECTION 4 – INDIVIDUALS AND CONDUCT COVERED SECTION 5 – EMPLOYEE RIGHTS

SECTION 6 – RESPONSIBILITIES

2. STATEMENT OF POLICY

It is the policy of the Spokane Public Library to ensure equal opportunity in employment and in the provision of library services without discrimination or harassment on the basis of race, religion, color, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, ethnic or national origin, ancestry, uniformed service member status, marital status, family relationship, pregnancy, age, genetic characteristics, disability, or any other characteristic protected by law. The Spokane Public Library prohibits any such discrimination or harassment. Retaliation against any individual who reports discrimination or harassment or participates in an investigation of such reports is also prohibited. It is the responsibility of all employees of the Library to aid in providing an environment free of discriminatory practices, intimidation or coercion.

The Spokane Public Library encourages reporting of all perceived incidents of discrimination, harassment or retaliation. It is the policy of the Spokane Public Library to investigate such reports and to take effective remedial action that is designed to end any violation(s). Conduct need not rise to the level of illegal discrimination, harassment or retaliation to be considered a violation of this policy.

3. DEFINITIONS

Discrimination is defined as any action or policy that is directed against an individual because of that individual’s race, religion, color, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, ethnic or national origin, ancestry, uniformed service member status, marital status, family relationship, pregnancy, age, genetic characteristics, physical or mental disability, or any other protected classification; or that has an adverse impact on any protected group.

Discrimination in employment occurs when an employer hires, promotes, disciplines, demotes or terminates an employee or makes any employment related decision solely on the basis of that person’s race, religion, color, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, ethnic or national origin, ancestry, uniformed service member status, marital status, family relationship, pregnancy, age, genetic characteristics, physical or mental disability, or any other protected classification; or when a practice, procedure or test has an adverse effect on a protected group of individuals and is not job related.

Sexual harassment constitutes discrimination and is illegal under federal, state and local laws. For the purposes of this policy, sexual harassment is defined, as in the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission Guidelines, as unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature when, for example: (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 the 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 working environment.

Sexual harassment may include a range of subtle and not so subtle behaviors and may involve individuals of the same or different gender. Depending on the circumstances, these behaviors may include, but are not limited to: unwanted sexual advances or requests for sexual favors; sexual jokes and innuendo; verbal abuse of a sexual nature; commentary about an individual’s body, sexual prowess or sexual deficiencies; leering, whistling or touching; insulting or obscene comments or gestures; display in the workplace of sexually suggestive objects or pictures; and other physical, verbal or visual conduct of a sexual nature.

Harassment on the basis of any other protected characteristic is also strictly Under this policy, harassment is verbal or physical conduct that denigrates or shows hostility or aversion toward an individual because of his/her race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, marital status, citizenship or any other characteristic protected by law or that of his/her relatives, friends or associates, and that: (1) has the purpose or effect of creating an intimidating, hostile or offensive work environment; (2) has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with an individual’s work performance; or (3) otherwise adversely affects an individual’s employment opportunities.

Harassing conduct includes, but is not limited to: epithets, slurs or negative stereotyping; threatening, intimidating or hostile acts; denigrating jokes; and written or graphic material that denigrates or shows hostility or aversion toward an individual or group and that is placed on walls or elsewhere on the employer’s premises or that is physically or electronically circulated.

4. INDIVIDUALS AND CONDUCT COVERED

These policies apply to all applicants, employees and volunteers, whether related to conduct engaged in by fellow employees and volunteers, or someone not directly connected to the Library (e.g. an outside vendor, consultant or customer).

Conduct prohibited by these policies is unacceptable in the workplace and in any work-related setting outside the workplace, such as during business trips, business meetings and library-related social events.

5. EMPLOYEE RIGHTS

Applicants, employees and volunteers are encouraged to immediately report any violation of this policy to their supervisor, branch or department manager, the Human Resources Manager, or the Library Director so that it may be resolved through the Library’s internal complaint procedure.

Employee rights are also protected through the remedies available under the Washington State Laws Against Discrimination, the U.S. Civil Rights Act of 1964 and other laws such as the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 and the Pregnancy Discrimination Act of 1974. Complainants have the option to report harassment, discrimination, or retaliation to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) or the Washington State Human Rights These governmental agencies offer legal remedies and a complaint process.

No individual will be retaliated against or otherwise adversely affected in employment as a result of making a complaint of discrimination or harassment, for participating in an investigation of a claim of discrimination or harassment, or for being erroneously accused of discrimination or harassment. Any act of retaliation will be treated as a separate and distinct incident regardless of the outcome of the original complaint and, like harassment or discrimination itself, will be subject to disciplinary action.

6. RESPONSIBILITIES

Each employee is responsible for maintaining a work environment free of This responsibility encompasses refraining from discriminating against a fellow employee, a library volunteer, library customers or any other person and promptly reporting incidents of discrimination or harassment experienced or observed.

Managers and supervisors are responsible for taking prompt, appropriate corrective action whenever they know of, or should know of, conduct that could be considered discriminatory.

The Human Resources Manager is responsible for providing guidance to managers and supervisors, for recommending remedial action designed to end any violation(s), for reporting the status of investigations to the Library Director as appropriate, and for maintaining records of all inquiries and complaints as well as their resolution.