ANTI-HARASSMENT & SEXUAL HARASSMENT POLICY

A. The Parish is committed to providing a work environment that promotes equal employment opportunities and prohibits unlawful discriminatory practices, including harassment.
B. It is the policy of the Parish to ensure equal employment opportunity without discrimination or harassment with respect to race, religion, color, sex, national origin, age, disability or any other protected status. All such harassment is not only unlawful but is specifically prohibited by the Parish.
C. Sexual harassment on the job violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Sexual Harassment means “any unwelcome sexual advances or requests for sexual favors or any conduct of a sexual nature.”
Training Requirement: The Parish requires, pursuant to Louisiana Revised Statutes 42:343, all employees, elected officials, and appointed officials to receive one (1) hour of sexual harassment training annually.
The Human Resources Department will provide several opportunities to fulfill this requirement and will arrange adequate notice of sexual harassment training opportunities including online options.
D. Types of Harassing Conduct
1. Sexual harassment is defined as unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature when:
a. Submission to such conduct is explicitly or implicitly made a term or condition of an individual’s employment; or
b. Submission to or rejection of such conduct by an individual is used as the basis for employment decisions affecting such individual; or
c. Such conduct has the purpose or effect of interfering unreasonably with an individual’s performance or creating an intimidating, hostile or offensive environment.
2. 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 is not limited to:                                a. Sexual flirtations, advances, or propositions;
b. Verbal abuse of a sexual nature, including threats, off-color jokes, or crude and offensive language;
c. Graphic or suggestive comments about an individual’s appearance or dress;
d. Leering or whistling;
e. The display of sexually suggestive objects or pictures;
f. Any offensive or unwanted physical conduct such as indecent gestures, touching, patting or pinching;
g. Physical restraint or assault;
h. Sending sexually suggestive notes or messages;
i. Any other unwelcome physical, verbal or visual conduct of a sexual nature.
3. Harassment on the basis of any other protected characteristic is also strictly prohibited. Police Jury policy prohibits harassment with respect to race, color, gender, religion, national origin, age, disability, and any other protected status. Harassing conduct includes 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 that is posted or circulated in the workplace.
4. Harassing conduct communicated or transmitted electronically through e-mail, phone messages, tweets, blogs, social networking sites, or other means is prohibited.
D. Individuals Covered
This anti-harassment policy applies to all employees of the Parish, as well as Parish vendors, contractors, and customers.
E. Notification Procedure
1. Any employee who feels that he or she has been subjected to harassing conduct or believes he or she has witnessed such conduct has a responsibility to report the situation as soon as possible to their supervisor, the Human Resources Director, or any member of management.                                                                                                                                              2. When possible, the Police Jury encourages employees to promptly advise the offender that his or her behavior is unwelcome and request that the conduct discontinue.
3. All complaints will be taken seriously and investigated. All employees and witnesses are expected to cooperate with the investigation. Information provided by employees will be treated as confidential. The information may be disclosed to those who have a need for the information or when required in the course of the investigation, or by law. False information provided by an employee may subject that employee to discipline, up to and including termination.
4. Harassment by any employee is grounds for disciplinary action, up to and including termination.
5. Retaliation against an individual for reporting harassment or discrimination or for participating in an investigation of a claim is a serious violation of this policy and will be subject to disciplinary action. Acts interpreted as retaliation should be reported immediately according to the notification procedure and will be promptly investigated and addressed.