Date Reviewed: 8/19/2024
Date Approved: 8/19/2024
Effective Date: 8/26/2024
Replacing Policy Effective: 7/20/2020

The Pickerington Public Library (the Library) is committed to maintaining a work environment that is free of harassment and discrimination based on race, color, ancestry, religion, national origin, citizenship, pregnancy, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, veteran or military status, disability, genetic information, marital status, political affiliation, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law. This policy applies to all individuals associated with the library, including employees, non-supervisory personnel, supervisors, managers, and executives. It also applies to non-employees such as board members, visitors, customers, volunteers, vendors, and contractors who have business contact with employees.

The objective of this library policy is to create a positive work environment that is free from hostile, offensive, intimidating, harassing, or discriminatory conduct that unreasonably interferes with an employee’s work due to any of the types of harassment described within this policy. This policy is meant to prevent unwelcome conduct, so all forms of unlawful harassment are prohibited. This procedure applies to all individuals associated with the Library, including employees, board members, visitors, customers, volunteers, vendors, and contractors,   ensuring that the same standards of behavior are expected from all.

Often people use the word “harassment” to describe conduct far beyond what is covered by this policy, such as personality conflict, general disagreement, etc. However, “harassment” is not intended to describe all workplace conflicts or disagreements.  An employee who is uncertain whether a situation involves harassment should speak to a supervisor, the Director, or a Human Resources representative.  The supervisor who learns of a situation must inform the Director and Human Resources upon receipt of the knowledge.

A. Harassment

Harassment consists of unwelcome conduct, whether verbal, nonverbal, written, pictorial, physical, or visual, that is based on any characteristic protected by law, when that conduct affects tangible job benefits, interferes unreasonably with an individual’s work performance, or creates an intimidating, hostile, or offensive working environment. This conduct includes slurs, epithets, or other degrading or offensive remarks or jokes and written or graphic material that denigrates or shows hostility or aversion toward an individual or group that is placed on walls or elsewhere on the employer’s phone (including voice messages), text messages, social networking sites or other means. The library will not tolerate harassment or discrimination. The library will promptly investigate claims of harassment and discrimination and will take prompt and appropriate action against anyone who harasses or discriminates against another in violation of this policy.

B. Sexual Harassment

Sexual harassment is unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature, including unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and verbal, nonverbal, written, pictorial, visual, or physical conduct of a sexual nature where: (1) submission to that conduct is made an express or implied term or condition of employment; (2) submission to or rejection of that conduct is used as the basis for employment decisions; or (3) that conduct has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with work performance or creating an intimidating, hostile or offense work environment. This definition includes many forms of offensive conduct. It also includes harassment of a person by another person of the same gender. Examples of prohibited conduct include, but are not limited to:

1. Offering employment benefits, such as favorable assignments, reviews, promotion, or the like, in exchange for sexual favors;
2. Denying or threatening to deny employment benefits for rejecting sexual advances;
3. Unwanted sexual advances, propositions, flirtations, or repeated unwanted requests for or efforts to make social contact;
4. Verbal conduct of a sexual or gender-based nature, such as using sexually degrading, vulgar, or discriminatory words to describe an individual; making sexually suggestive comments about an individual’s body; discussing sexual activity; or making derogatory, sexual, gender-related or discriminatory comments, slurs, taunts, jokes, or epithets;
5. Non-verbal conduct of a sexual or gender-based nature, such as whistling, unwelcome staring, or leering; displaying sexually suggestive, gender-based, or discriminatorily-based objects, pictures, videos, posters, or cartoons; making sexual, derogatory, obscene, or discriminatory gestures; or giving, sending, or circulating sexual, derogatory, obscene, or discriminatory letters, e-mail messages, social media messages or postings, voicemail messages, gifts, notes, or invitations;
6. Unwelcome physical conduct of a sexual or gender-based nature, such as touching, patting, pinching, brushing the body, or impeding, by blocking, an individual’s movements;

C. Reporting Harassment

a. If an employee is the subject of, or becomes aware of, harassment or discrimination, the employee must immediately communicate this information – without fear of retaliation – to one or more of the following individuals: The Library Director, the employee’s supervisor, or a representative of Human Resources. If, for any reason, an employee prefers not to discuss the issue with any of these individuals, the employee is encouraged to report the issue to the Personnel Committee of the Board of Trustees.

b. The library strongly encourages employees to come forward promptly. Timely reporting is vital to the library’s ability to investigate complaints of harassment or discrimination. Prompt reporting also discourages the spread of harmful rumors. Complaints and investigations will be kept as confidential as possible. The library takes prompt and necessary steps to investigate and, where appropriate, correct any form of harassment or discrimination. All employees are expected to cooperate in any investigations of wrongdoing. Failure of any employee to cooperate in an investigation is grounds for disciplinary action against that employee, up to and including termination. Members of the public who engage in harassing or discriminatory behavior may be denied access to library buildings and classes and events per the library’s code of conduct policy.

c. No reprisal, retaliation, or other adverse action will be taken against any employee who in good faith reports harassment or discrimination or assists in the investigation of any such matter. Violations of this policy, regardless of whether an actual law has been violated, will not be tolerated.

d. The library will promptly, thoroughly, and fairly investigate every issue that is brought to its attention in this area. The library will not tolerate any retaliatory conduct or false accusations of harassment or discrimination, and any such acts will result in disciplinary action, up to and including termination. Retaliation against any person who reports, makes a complaint, or participates in an investigation is strictly prohibited.  Any person who engages in retaliatory activity may be subject to disciplinary action up to and including discharge. Investigations will be conducted in a timely manner, typically within 30 days of the report, and may involve an independent party to ensure objectivity. All findings will be documented, and appropriate corrective actions will be taken based on the outcome.

D. Prevention and Education

The Library is committed to not only addressing harassment and discrimination but also preventing it through regular training, awareness programs, and communication. All employees, including management and supervisory staff, are required to participate in these initiatives to foster a respectful and inclusive work environment.