Policy Against Sexual and Other Harassment

General Policy: 

Six Seconds is committed to providing a work environment that is free of discrimination and harassment.  Six Seconds maintains a strict policy prohibiting harassment of employees, members, interns, volunteers, contractors or consultants, including harassment on the basis of race, national origin or ancestry, color, religion, age, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), gender identity or gender expression, sexual orientation, marital status, mental or physical disability, medical condition including genetic characteristics, veteran status, or on any other basis protected under applicable federal, state, and local laws.  This policy applies to all employees, supervisors, management, officers, directors, members, partners, interns, volunteers, contractors or consultants, applicants, vendors, clients and any other business contacts of Six Seconds.

Harassment may take many forms, but the most common forms include:

·       Verbal conduct such as epithets, derogatory jokes, slurs, intrusive questions, personal comments, unwelcome sexual advances or invitations;

·       Visual conduct such as derogatory and/or sexually oriented posters, photography, cartoons, drawings or gestures, objects, provocative clothing;

·       Physical conduct such as assault, unwanted touching, blocking normal movement or interfering with another person because or sex, race or any other protected basis;

·       Retaliation for having reported or threatened to report harassment, or for opposing harassment, or for participating in an investigation.

Policy Against Sexual Harassment: 

Sexual harassment in any form is strictly prohibited.  Sexual harassment is a form of misconduct which undermines the integrity of the volunteer relationship.  All employees, members, interns, volunteers, contractors and consultants must be allowed to work in an environment that is not hostile or abusive and which is free from unsolicited and unwelcome sexual overtures. Sexual harassment debilitates morale and interferes with the work productivity of its victims and their co-workers.

Sexual harassment occurs when submission to or rejection of unwelcome sexual conduct is used as a basis for employment decisions, or when submission to sexual harassment is a condition for receiving employment benefits, promotions, raises, etc.  Sexual harassment may occur between members of the opposite sex (including harassment of women by men, and of men by women), and between members of the same sex.

Sexual harassment also occurs when unwelcome sexual conduct unreasonably interferes with job performance or creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive working environment, even if it does not lead to tangible or economic job consequences.

Harassment Complaint Procedure:

Any employee, member, partner, intern, volunteer, contractor or consultant who believes that he or she has been subject to any conduct that violates this policy, including sexual harassment by any employee (including supervisors and officers), member, partner, intern, volunteer, contractor or consultant, visitor, vendor, client business contact or other third party, or believes that he or she has witnessed harassment or other conduct that violates this policy, must immediately notify his or her supervisor, manager, director, or the President or Chief Executive Officer of Six Seconds.  Six Seconds requires the prompt reporting of complaints so that a timely investigation can be made and appropriate action taken.

All complaints or reports under this policy made to Six Seconds will be promptly investigated by Six Seconds or by an investigator appointed by Six Seconds.  Confidentiality will be maintained throughout the investigatory process to the extent practical and appropriate under the circumstances.  No individual will suffer retaliation by Six Seconds (nor will Six Seconds tolerate retaliation by others) for reporting any violation of this policy, making a good faith complaint, assisting another to make a complaint in good faith, or participating in any investigation.

Disciplinary Action:

Any employee (including supervisors and officers), member, partner, intern, volunteer, contractor or consultant or other individual who is found to have violated this policy, engaged in harassment, or to have retaliated against any individual in violation of this policy, will be subject to appropriate disciplinary action, up to and including immediate termination of employment (or, in the case of contractors and consultants, immediate termination of their contractor relationship for material breach).  Six Seconds will also take steps as necessary to prevent any further misconduct.  If other third parties (such as clients) engage in any conduct that violates this policy, Six Seconds will determine the appropriate actions to be taken to rectify the conduct and prevent any future misconduct.  In addition, individuals who engage in unlawful harassment may be held personally liable for their conduct in legal proceedings.