SEXUAL HARASSMENT PREVENTION

Prevention is the best tool to eliminate sexual harassment in the workplace. Our goal is to make employees aware that sexual harassment is not tolerated and illegal. The purpose of this training is to make sure that you can identify a sexual harassment situation, how to avoid it and what to do if it happens to you or around you.

ANYONE can commit sexual harassment: managers, employees, or vendors.
ANYONE can experience sexual harassment: direct target, witness or bystander.
Sexual harassment can be for either gender including same sex.

Can YOU recognize sexual harassment? There are two types:

Hostile work environment:
Sexual harassment is any unwelcome sexual advance, request for sexual favors, verbal & sexual conduct of a physical nature, or displays of sexuality explicit or suggestive materials in a written or pictorial context.
Quid pro quo:
A supervisor or person in authority expects a sexual favor in return for employment decision.

OUR behaviors and expectations in the work place are to adhere to the City's policy, follow the dress code requirement, be friendly but not familiar, not telling or sending via e-mail "off color jokes", and not displaying sexually suggestive pictures or cartoons anywhere.

OUR Responsibility, The City of Ithaca's responsibility is to educate employees about our policy prohibiting sexual harassment, and enforce that policy and provide a process for investigating incidence.

YOUR Responsibility is to read and abide by policy and report incidents.
Remember – any form in sexual harassment can result in a disciplinary action, loss of job, or legal prosecution. Respect your fellow employees!

Reporting process: Contact your supervisor or Human resources (274 – 6539), and see policy on the City’s Q drive, HR folder, HR manual

The Law: Title VII prohibits discrimination based on sex, gender, race, religion, and national origin. Sexual Harassment is a type of gender discrimination.