Java Corp Anti-Harassment Policy

Java Corp expresses its strong commitment towards ensuring all employees work in a safe environment in which there is no discrimination and harassment whatsoever. The company will enforce and strictly adhere to a policy of zero tolerance of any kind of sexual harassment within the workplace. All actual and suspected incidents of sexual harassment will be treated very seriously; any individual found guilty of having sexually harassed a colleague will face tough disciplinary action that may include termination of employment.

This policy’s objective is to offer direction as well as rules that will govern conduct of not only Java Corp employees but also all other persons whom the company may transact with. Through this policy, Java Corp aims at ensuring a workplace that is devoid of sexual harassment and where all people, regardless of their sex, age, ethnicity, etc. can comfortably work together. The policy also seeks to inspire development as well as implementation of safe practices that create an environment in which equality, integrity, and dignity of persons are upheld.

For the purposes of this policy, sexual harassment is defined as any kind of conduct that is “unwanted or unwelcome and which has the purpose or effect of being intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive” (Quick & McFayden, 2017 p.286). Sexual harassment may take various forms, the most common ones being sexual blackmail and hostile environment.  Also known as quid pro quo harassment, sexual blackmail typically takes the form of a superior requesting sexual favors from subordinates in exchange for benefits such as pay increments or promotions (Gupta & Garg, 2020). In contrast, hostile environments that give room to sexual harassment include things such inappropriate touching, unseemly gestures, crude language that is offensive, and discussing sexual relations or activities with workmates (Gupta & Garg, 2020).

Legal Basis

There is a strong legal basis for protecting employees from harassment. The 1964 Civil Rights Act protects job applicants as well as employees from any kind of employment discrimination on the basis of sex, race, nationality, color, and religion. Title VII of the Act specifically offers protection against, among other practices, sexual harassment (Federal Trade Commission, n.d). Another law that prohibits harassment in the workplace is the 1963 Equal Pay Act. In this Act, wage discrimination on the basis of sex is outlawed. More precisely, the Act prohibits wage discrepancies between male and female workers executing similar tasks for the same employer (Federal Trade Commission, n.d.).

Complaint Procedure

Java Corp strongly urges victims of sexual harassment to promptly report any such incidences irrespective of the position or identity of the perpetrator. The company allows victims to use any of the reporting methods as long as they feel that the method chosen offers confidentiality:

• Report to the immediate supervisor
• Engage a Union representative
• Write an anonymous letter and deposit it in Company’s the complaints box

Java Corp encourages victims of sexual harassment to first try and address their unease directly with the offender. Where this is not possible or it does not bear any fruit, the victim is free to use any of the above avenues to report their complaints. Throughout the procedure, victims are entitled to assistance from trained and certified counselors within Java Corp. The company recognizes the need of providing support to victims of sexual harassment as they complete the process of filing complaints.

Confidentiality

Java Corp promises to treat all complaints with utmost confidentiality. Once the company receives a compliant of sexual harassment, it will forward the same to a select team of investigators who are relevantly trained on matters of dealing with harassment in the workplace. The forwarding of complaints will be done in a confidential manner.

Employee Acknowledgement of Policy

I hereby acknowledge receipt of Java Corp’s anti-harassment policy and that I have read and understood the contents of the policy. I fully understand that violating the provisions contained in the policy could lead disciplinary action, which may include dismissal from employment.

Employee Name…………………………………………….Signature ……………………………

Date………………………………………….

Investigation

Upon receiving complaints of sexual harassment, Java Corp will promptly begin investigations. Confidentiality will be maintained throughout the investigation exercise. All people involved in the procedure- complainants, harassers, and witnesses- will enjoy due process to foster fairness and impartiality in the investigation. Although the procedure of investigation may vary depending on the case, the following measures are deemed central to any investigation process:

Once a complaint is received, the allegations will immediately be reviewed by the designated persons. Where appropriate, the harasser will be instructed not to communicate with the complainant until the investigations are over. For verbally made complaints, the complainant will be encouraged to fill a complaint form. In the event that the complainant refuses to do, the designated person handling the case will use the verbal report to create a complaint form. After obtaining and reviewing all documents and electronic communications relevant to the case, the investigator will interview each party involved, including witnesses. A properly written documentation of investigations will be created, containing all reviewed documents, names of people interviewed and their statements, an events timeline, and the basis upon which the final resolution has been made.

Communicating the Policy to Employees

It is not enough to create an anti-harassment policy; there is need for organizations to ensure that such policies are effectively communicated to employees. This can be achieved by issuing copies of anti-harassment policies to all employees and requiring them to sign and declare that they understand what the policy contains and means. In addition, it helps to post such policies in strategic, central locations, besides incorporating them into employee handbooks (Werner, 2012). Other ways of communicating anti-harassment policies include organizing training sessions and, most importantly, managers demonstrating behaviors as well as values that exemplify the policy’s principles.

Benefits to the Organization

Upholding respect and fairness through sound anti-harassment policies confers a range of benefits to organizations. As Siu (2021, p.275) states, with clear anti-harassment policies,

Everyone will know what the rules are; employees will know what [harassment] means and how they will be handled [if they harass their colleagues]; and the organization will be seen as embracing equity, human rights, and equal opportunity.

In short, having a sound anti-harassment policy benefits an organization in terms of improved productivity, a strong company reputation, enhanced employee morale, and retention of workers. When employees know that their employer embraces humanity and equality, they become more productive since they can concentrate on work without any distractions or fears. In the same way, workplaces that are harassment-free enjoy arguably perform better in terms of employee retention. This is because anti-harassment policies give employees a greater sense of security; consequently, their chances of remaining with the company for a longer duration are increased.

It may also be argued that having a sound anti-harassment policy translates into lower costs for companies. It can be quite expensive to deal with accusations of harassment, both in terms of the time spent in addressing such claims as well as any penalties or compensations that the company has to make.

References

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Federal Trade Commission. (n.d.). Protections against discrimination and other prohibited practices. https://www.ftc.gov/policy-notices/no-fear-act/protections-against-discrimination

Gupta, D., & Garg, J. (2020). Sexual harassment at workplace. International Journal of Legal Science and Innovation 2(1), 190-209.

Quick, J. C., & McFadyen, M. (2017). Sexual harassment: Have we made any progress? Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, 22(3), 286.

Siu, B. (2021). Opening doors to diversity in leadership. University of Toronto Press.

Werner, S. (2012). Managing human resources in North America: current issues and perspectives. Routledge.

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