Sexual Harassment Policy
Harassment Policy
All employees are allowed to work in a positive, respectful and productive work environment free from all forms of discrimination and harassment based on sex, race, color, religion, gender, age, national origin, disability, citizen’s status, veteran status, pregnancy, or any other reason prohibited by federal, state or local laws. Harassment from co-workers, supervisors, the Assessor or any person(s) conducting business with the Assessor’s office is strictly forbidden.
Sexual Harassment Policy
Sexual harassment is a form of unlawful harassment. The Plaquemines Parish Assessor’s Office prohibits sexual harassment and is committed to providing a workplace that is free from sexual harassment. Conduct that is considered harassment is prohibited. Prohibited conduct is unacceptable in the workplace or in any work-related setting outside the workplace such as work-related meetings, trips, educational workshops or classes or training or work related social events.
Unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal, physical, or inappropriate conduct of a sexual nature constitutes sexual harassment when the conduct explicitly or implicitly affects an individual’s employment or the holding of office, unreasonably interferes with an individual’s work performance, or creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive work environment, and shall not be tolerated.
All employees are required to successfully complete the Sexual Harassment Training provided by the State of Louisiana annually. Upon completion of the training, individuals shall print certification of same for maintenance in the personnel files. Supervisors are required to take additional sexual harassment education and training. The record of compliance shall be public record and available to the public in accordance with Public Records Law. The policy against sexual harassment and complaint procedure shall be prominently posted on the Assessor’s website.
Sexual harassment is defined as unwelcome sexual advances, propositions or gestures, requests for sexual favors, and/or other visual, verbal, or physical conduct of a sexual nature or based on sex, or when a person’s employment depends on submission to the conduct or unreasonably interferes with a person’s work performance or creates an intimidating, hostile, or offensive working environment.
There shall never be threats or insinuations that an employee’s refusal to submit to sexual advances will affect the employee’s employment, evaluation, wages, advancement, or other terms and conditions of employment.
The principles for defining sexual harassment in the workplace apply to harassment based on other protected categories. More specifically, it is a violation of policy to engage in conduct with the purpose or effect of substantially interfering in the work environment of an employee on a basis of an employee status in every category protected by law.
Employee Responsibility Harassment
All employees have an obligation to contribute to a harassment / discrimination-free workplace by immediately reporting if they:
- feel uncomfortable in a situation because of someone’s harassing, sexually suggestive, abusive or discriminatory behavior,
- feel that another’s harassing, sexually suggestive, abusive or discriminatory comments or actions are improper in a work environment,
- believe that another’s harassing, sexually suggestive, abusive or discriminatory behavior impairs their ability to do their job, or
- want the harassing, sexually suggesting, abusive or discriminatory behavior to stop.
All employees have an obligation to cooperate in company workplace investigations. Individuals who believe they have experienced or witnessed harassment are required to immediately report the incident to the Assessor and/or Supervisor at the first instance.
When an allegation of harassment, including sexual harassment has been received or there is reason to believe sexual harassment is occurring, immediate and appropriate steps will be taken to ensure that the matter is promptly addressed. The Assessor’s office is committed to take appropriate action. The Assessor will not tolerate harassment of any kind including sexual harassment and will take action to investigate all complaints. Complaints and other inquiries will be treated as confidentially as possible. The Assessor will consult with legal experts with regard to an incident’s investigation and the course of action which will be in compliance with federal and state law on sexual harassment as per RS 42:343.
The office policy is one of prohibition against retaliation of an individual for filing a complaint or testifying or participating in any way in an investigation or other proceeding involving a complaint of harassment, including sexual harassment.
Non-Retaliation
Employees who report a violation of the Equal Employment Opportunity or harassment policies in good faith or participate in an investigation will not be retaliated against. This means employees engaging in this protected activity will not suffer an adverse employment action (such as termination, demotion, reassignment, reduction in pay, change in pay, working hours or benefits, (amongst other actions) because they made a good faith report of a violation. Anyone who engages in such retaliatory behavior will be subject to appropriate discipline, up to and including termination.
Complaint Procedure Steps
Plaquemines Parish Assessor’s Office (PPAO) will not tolerate any form of sexual harassment in the workplace and has established the following procedure for lodging a complaint of sexual harassment, discrimination, or retaliation. PPAO will treat all aspects of the procedure confidentially to the extent reasonably possible. It is the responsibility of an employee who feels that they have been subjected to an incident of sexual harassment to bring the harassment to the attention of the Assessor.
- Complaints should be submitted as soon as possible after an incident has occurred. Anyone is allowed to make a complaint. Complaints should be in writing and provided to the employee’s supervisor and or the Assessor.
- Upon receiving a complaint that a violation of this policy may be occurring; the Assessor will document receipt of the complaint and may seek the advice and guidance of the PPAO legal counsel in determining the course of action.
- As part of the process, the Assessor, together with legal counsel or other management employees, will interview witnesses, the alleged victim, and the alleged harasser and determine the necessary action based on the findings. The findings shall be reduced to writing and become a part of the employee’s file and the employee will be provided a copy. If it is determined that a violation of this policy has occurred, the Assessor will determine an appropriate action including as an example, reassignment or termination of employment.
- If the finding is that the sexual harassment claim was intentionally false, the employee will be terminated.
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