It is the policy of the Clerk’s Office that all employees have a right to work in an environment free of any form of harassment. The Clerk’s Office strictly prohibits harassment of employees in the workplace. For purposes of this policy, harassment is defined as inappropriate conduct, either real or perceived, of a verbal or physical nature, based on a person’s sex, age, race, color, creed, ancestry/national origin, religion, veteran status, citizenship status, disability, protected genetic information, pregnancy, or any other classification protected by law.
Sexual harassment has been defined as follows:
Unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, or other verbal, physical, or inappropriate conduct of a sexual nature constitutes sexual harassment when (1) 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 is strictly prohibited. The Clerk’s Office also strictly prohibits harassment of employees on the basis of a person’s age, race, color, creed, ancestry/national origin, religion, veteran status, citizenship status, disability, protected genetic information, or pregnancy. Verbal or physical conduct that creates an intimidating, hostile, or offensive work environment is the type of conduct which is prohibited by this policy.
Unwelcome actions such as the following are inappropriate and, depending on the circumstances, may in and of themselves meet the definition of sexual harassment or contribute to a hostile work environment:
- Sexual pranks, or repeated sexual teasing, jokes, or innuendo, in person or via e-mail;
- Verbal abuse of a sexual nature;
- Sexual Assault;
- Intentional physical conduct that is sexual in nature, such as touching, pinching, patting, grabbing, brushing against another employee’s body or poking another employee’s body;
- Unwelcome sexual advances, propositions or other sexual comments, such as sexually oriented gestures, noises, remarks, jokes, or comments about a person’s sexuality or sexual experience;
- Preferential treatment or promises of preferential treatment to an employee for submitting to sexual conduct, including soliciting or attempting to solicit any employee to engage in sexual activity for compensation or reward;
- Making or posting sexually demeaning or offensive pictures, cartoons or other materials in the workplace;
- Epithets, slurs, or negative stereotyping; and
- Written materials in the workplace showing hostility toward an employee because of the employee’s sex, age, race, color, national origin, religion, veteran status, citizenship, disability, protected genetic information, or union affiliation are also prohibited.
All complaints regarding harassment by any manager or fellow employee should be immediately communicated to your immediate supervisor, the Chief Deputy or the Clerk. We will not condone or authorize any kind of retaliation against any employee who has in good faith reported conduct which he or she believes may constitute harassment in violation of this policy. Each employee has not only a right, but a duty, to report conduct which he or she believes may constitute harassment in violation of this policy. The Chief Deputy or the Clerk will thoroughly investigate any allegations of harassment and maintain confidentiality to the extent consistent with a thorough investigation. Any employee at any level found to have engaged in the harassment of another employee in violation of this policy will be subject to appropriate disciplinary action, up to and including termination.