EAA’s Anti-Harassment Policy

May 2015 - EAA is committed to maintaining a safe and healthy environment free of harassment.  In keeping with this commitment, EAA has “zero tolerance” to any sexual harassment, unlawful harassment and discrimination, bullying and any inappropriate behavior against all employees at all levels of the organization, vendors, volunteers, or members.  All employees and volunteers are expected to avoid any behavior or conduct that could reasonably be interpreted as sexual harassment or unlawful harassment and discrimination of employees or persons who do business with EAA.

Sexual harassment is any unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other physical, verbal, or visual conduct of a sexual nature when: 

• Submission or rejection to the conduct is an explicit or implicit term or condition of an individual’s employment such as status or benefits
• Conduct has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with an individual’s work performance or
• Creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive working environment

Sexual harassment may include such actions as: 

• Sexual advances, or repeated flirtation kidding, teasing or jokes
• Foul or obscene language or gestures such as whistling, staring, or leering
• Intentional physical contact including patting, pinching, or brushing against
• another person's body
• Asking questions or making comments about another person's sexual activities,
• dating, personal or intimate relationships or appearance
• Sexually suggestive or flirtatious gifts, letters, notes, e-mail, or voice mail
• Displaying or circulating pictures, objects, or written materials (including e-mail, photographs, pinups, calendars, magazines, figurines) that are sexually suggestive

Unlawful harassment and discrimination consists of repeated conduct that is unwelcome and is known to all parties as offensive.   To discriminate is to deny someone the equal protection of the law.  It’s unlawful harassment and discriminatory when an individual is subjected to verbal, physical, or visual, that is based upon a person’s protected area, such as race, color, creed, ancestry, national origin, , age, sex/gender, disability, arrest/conviction record, sexual orientation, marital status, military reserve, or outside lawful products.

Unlawful harassment and discrimination because of any individual’s protected area may include such actions as:

• Jokes, obscenities, negative stereotyping, pranks, threats, teasing, verbal abuse or blocking of physical movement
• Asking questions or making comments about one’s religion, or their disability, etc.
• Displaying or circulating pictures, objects, or written materials (including e-mail, photographs, pinups, calendars, magazines, figurines) that demeans or show hostility to a person

EAA will not tolerate bullying in the workplace.  Bullying is defined as repeated mistreatment of one or more persons through verbal abuse; threatening, humiliating or intimidating conduct; work interference or sabotage that prevents or inhibits the victim from doing his or her work; or exploitation of a known psychological or physical vulnerability.  It is distinguished from incivility, simple rudeness, or the routine exercise of acceptable managerial prerogatives.

There will be no retaliation against anyone for reporting discrimination or harassment, or for cooperating with an investigation of a complaint of unlawful harassment or inappropriate behavior.

The policy of EAA is to investigate each complaint promptly and to keep complaints and the result of our investigation confidential to the fullest extent practicable.  If an investigation confirms that a violation of this policy has occurred, then appropriate corrective actions, including disciplinary measures, will be taken.  In investigating complaints of harassment under this policy, EAA may impose discipline for inappropriate conduct without regard to whether the conduct constitutes a violation of the law and even if that conduct does not rise to the level of violation of this policy.  EAA will advise interested parties of the outcome of an investigation, although not necessarily all details of the actions EAA has taken to maintain a safe and healthy workplace free of harassment.