Sexual Harassment Policy:

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Contractor/Agent Notice

 

Sexual harassment is prohibited by this company and is against the law.

Every contractor should be aware of:

• What sexual harassment is

• What steps to take if harassment occurs

• State law prohibited retaliation for reporting sexual harassment

 

Please read this information sheet. If you have any questions or concerns about it, please contact Loyalty Group Human Resources department for further information.

 

How to Stop Sexual harassment

 

• When possible, simply tell the harasser to stop.

 

The harasser may not realize the advances of behaviors are offensive. When it is appropriate and sensible, simply tell the harasser the behavior or advances are unwelcome and must stop.

 

• You are strongly encouraged to report sexual harassment. Please contact the Loyalty Group Human Resources department.

 

Sexual harassment or retaliation should be reported in writing or verbally. You may report such activities even though you were not the subject of harassment.

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• An investigation will be conducted.

 

Loyalty Group will investigate, in discrete manner, all reported incidents of sexual harassment and retaliation.

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• Appropriate action will be taken.

 

Where evidence of sexual harassment or retaliation if found, disciplinary action, up to and including termination, may result.

 

What is Sexual Harassment?

Although many people think of sexual harassment as involving a male boss and a female employee, not all sexual harassment is done by males. Sexual harassment often involves co-workers, other contractors of Loyalty Group or other females and for males to harass other males or females.

 

New York Law

 

• Verbal Harassment – epithets, derogatory comments or slurs.

Examples: Name-calling, belittling, sexually explicit or degrading words to describe an individual, sexually explicit jokes, and comments about an employee’s anatomy and/or attire, sexually oriented noises or remarks, questions about a person’s sexual practices, use of patronizing terms or remarks, verbal abuse, graphic verbal commentaries about the body.

• Physical harassment- assaulting, impeding or blocking movement, or any physical interference with normal work or movement, when directed at an individual.

Examples: Touching, pinching, patting, grabbing, brushing against or poking another contractor’s body, requiring an employee to wear sexually suggestive clothing.

• Visual harassment- derogatory posters, cartoons, or drawings.

Examples: displaying sexual pictures, writings or objects, obscene letters or invitations, staring at a contractor’s anatomy, leering, sexually oriented gestures, mooning unwanted love letters or notes.

• Sexual favors – unwaters sexual advances, which condition an employment, benefit upon an exchange of sexual favors.

Examples: Continued requests for dates, any threat of demotion, termination, etc., if requested sexual favors are not given, making or threatening reprisals after a negative response to sexual advances, proposition an individual.

 

It is impossible to define every action or all words that could be interpreted as sexual harassment. The examples listed above with the state definition of sexual harassment are not meant to be complete list of objectionable behavior nor do they always constitute sexual harassment.

 

Federal law

 

Under Federal Law, unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature constitute sexual harassment when:

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 or such conduct by an individual is used as a basic for employment decisions affecting such individual.

3. Such conduct has the purpose of effect of unreasonably interfering with an individual’s work performance creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive working environment.

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Harassers Are Personally Liable

 

If you, as a contractor, are found to have engaged in sexual harassment, or if you as a manager know or should have known about the conduct and condone or ratify it, you may be personally liable for monetary damages. This company will not pay damages assessed against you personally.

 

In addition, this company will take appropriate disciplinary measures – termination is one possible action against any contractor who engages in sexual harassment.

 

Protection again Retaliation

 

Company policy and New York State Law forbid retaliation against any contractor who opposes sexual harassment, files a complaint, testifies, assists or participates in any manner in an investigation, processing or hearing conducted by Loyalty Group.

 

 

Prohibited retaliation includes but is not limited to:

• Demotion

• Suspension

• Failure to hire or consider hiring

• Failure to give equal consideration in making employment decisions

• Adversely affecting working conditions or otherwise denying employment benefit to an individual.

 

RECEIPT AND ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF NON-HARASSMENT POLICY

 

I have received a copy of the Loyalty Group Non-Harassment policy. I acknowledge my obligation to read, understand and abide its contents and further acknowledgement and agree that:

• I understand that the Non-harassment policy is subject to change at the sole discretion of Loyalty Group at any time.

• I understand that should the contents be changed in any way, Loyalty Group require an additional signature from me to indicate that I am aware and understand the new policy.

• I understand that nothing stated herein or within this policy as a whole is intended to change or alter that at-will employment relationship between the company and any of its contractors.