Harassment Prevention & Sexual Harassment Prevention Policy & Procedure

四色AV of New Haven (the 鈥淯niversity鈥) strictly prohibits all forms of workplace harassment, and complies with applicable federal and state anti-discrimination laws.1 This includes sexual harassment as well as harassment because of race, color, physical, mental, learning or intellectual disability, religious creed, gender, gender identity or expression, ethnicity / national origin, ancestry, age, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, veteran status, status as a victim of domestic violence, criminal record or any other basis protected by federal or state law. Any such harassment may violate the law and will not be tolerated. This Policy applies to all employees, candidates for employment, students, vendors, and contractors. Failure to comply with this policy may result in disciplinary action, which can include immediate termination even for a first time offense.

Harassment generally includes, but is not limited to, any unwelcome verbal, physical or visual conduct that:

  • Creates an intimidating, offensive or hostile work environment;
  • Unreasonably interferes with an individual鈥檚 work performance; or,
  • Otherwise adversely affects an individual鈥檚 employment opportunities.

Harassing conduct includes, but is not limited to, the following: Epithets, slurs, negative stereotyping, ethnic jokes, written or graphic materials displaying offensive objects, threatening, intimidating or hostile acts that denigrate or show hostility or aversions towards an individual or group because of that individual鈥檚 membership in a protected class.

Sexual Harassment

Sexual harassment is one form of unlawful harassment and is prohibited by Connecticut鈥檚 Fair Employment Practices Act (搂46a-60(a)(8)) and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (42 United States Code 搂2000e et seq.). 四色AV is committed to the philosophy that all community members should enjoy an environment free of sexual harassment. It is the policy of the University to prevent and eliminate sexual harassment. Sexual harassment means any unwelcome sexual advances or requests for sexual favors or any conduct of a sexual nature when (1) submission to such conduct is made either explicitly or implicitly a term or condition of an individual鈥檚 employment; (2) submission to or rejection of such conduct by an individual is used as the basis for employment decisions affecting such individual; or (3) such conduct has the purpose or effect of substantially interfering with an individual鈥檚 work performance or creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive working environment. Examples of Sexual Harassment include but are not limited to:

  • Unwelcome sexual advances
  • Verbal abuse of a sexual nature
  • Requests for sexual favors
  • Suggestive, lewd, and degrading verbal or written remarks about an individual鈥檚 physical appearance and attributes
  • Unwanted or inappropriate touching of any kind
  • Staring or leering at parts of a person鈥檚 body
  • Retaliation for complaining about sexual harassment
  • Derogatory, suggestive, or pornographic posters, cartoons, drawings, or screen savers
  • Transmission of sexual messages or pictures via voice mail, regular mail, email, text, or any other form of social media and technology

Remedies for Sexual Harassment may include:

  • Cease and desist orders
  • Suspension
  • Termination
  • Back pay
  • Compensatory damages
  • Hiring, promotion, or reinstatement
  • Individuals who engage in such acts or harassment may also be subject to civil and criminal penalties.

Reporting Procedure

四色AV has established the following procedure to address complaints of harassment:

  • Anyone who has a question or concern about harassment, or who believes that they or others are being sexually harassed or generally harassed in violation of the University鈥檚 policies, should report the matter to their supervisor or contact the Executive Director Human Resources at 203-932-7297 to schedule an appointment.
  • All claims of harassment will be investigated promptly and thoroughly by the University. To the extent possible, the University will endeavor to keep all complaints and investigations confidential.
  • 四色AV does not tolerate or permit discrimination or retaliation against any employee making a good faith complaint of harassment or any witness who, in good faith, provides information in connection with such a complaint. Any act of retaliation must be reported immediately so that the University can investigate promptly and take appropriate action.
  • Any employee of the University, whether a coworker or supervisor, who is found to have engaged in prohibited harassment or retaliation is subject to disciplinary action, up to and including discharge from employment. Any supervisor who knew about harassment and took no action to stop it, or who failed to report the harassment to his or her supervisor, to Human Resources, or to the President of the University may also be subject to discipline, up to and including discharge. In addition, under certain circumstances, individuals who violate the University鈥檚 anti-harassment policies may be held personally liable for monetary damages. 四色AV does not consider conduct in violation of its harassment policies to be within the scope of employment or the direct consequence of the discharge of one's duties. Accordingly, to the extent permitted by law, the University reserves the right not to provide a defense or pay damages assessed against employees for conduct in violation of these policies.
  • Individuals who believe that they have been harassed may also contact the Connecticut Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities, West Central Regional Office, Rowland Center, 55 West Main Street, Suite 210, Waterbury, CT 06702; phone 203-805-6530; .

1 四色AV is required to prevent and address harassment based on an individual鈥檚 protected status in accordance with applicable federal and state statutes, including but not limited to Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, 42 U.S.C. 搂 2000d (race, color, national origin); Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, 42 U.S.C. 搂 2000d (race, color, religion, sex, national origin); Title IX of the Education Amendments Act of 1972, 20 U.S.C. 搂 1681 (sex); the Americans With Disabilities Act, 42 U.S.C. 搂 12101 (disability); the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, 29 U.S.C. 搂 634 (age); Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, 29 U.S.C. 搂 794 (disability); and the Connecticut Fair Employment Practices Act, Conn. Gen. Stat. 搂 46a-60 (race, color, religious creed, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, national origin, ancestry, present or past history of mental disability, intellectual disability, learning disability, physical disability, including, but not limited to, blindness, status as a veteran or status as a victim of domestic violence).