2.1 EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY (EEO)
District 19 Community Services Board is an equal opportunity employer. The Board provides employment opportunities to applicants on the basis of job‑related qualifications. All employment‑related decisions are made without regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, political affiliation, or disability. This policy applies to recruitment, hiring, promotions, compensation, benefits, transfers, layoffs, in‑service training, staff development, discipline grievance handling and/ or Employee Relations Management.
District 19 Community Services Board's designated EEO Officer is the Board's Human Resources Director. The position's incumbent is responsible for assuring compliance with agency requirements for non-discrimination and adherence to the agency's Equal Opportunity Employment.
This policy is applicable to those persons in all classes protected from discrimination by, and is designed to be in accordance with, the provisions of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, §503 and §504 of the Vocational Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Age Discrimination and Employment Act (1967), the Americans with Disabilities Act (1990), the Family Medical Leave Act of 1993, regulations issued by the U. S. Department of Health and Human Services, and other applicable legislation and regulations.
It is the policy of D19 CSB to promote and encourage the employment of members of minority groups.
The intent of D19 CSB equal employment opportunity policy is to be nondiscriminatory and to ensure employment practices are carried out in accordance with EEO mandates.
District 19 Community Services Board subscribes to the following principles governing EEO:
- Continued efforts are made to attract applicants from all population groups. All applicants and employees are treated equally and fairly.
- Required qualifications for a job reflect realistic requirements. Unreasonable and superfluous levels of education, experience, and demonstrated competence which do not relate to job requirements will not be required of an applicant. Employment selection is based on job-related knowledge, skills, and abilities, and reflects essential functions of the position.
- Human resources and recruitment/ selection records are maintained to advance the EEO policies and to document conformance.
- Equal pay is offered for equal work.
- Employees are selected for promotion on the basis of their position‑related qualifications.
- Transfer of employees, when necessary, is based on program needs and position‑related qualifications.
- Non-discriminatory practices are adhered to in the resolution of employee grievances. The filing of a grievance will in no way impact on the employee's treatment while performing job duties and responsibilities.
2.1.1 Responsibility
The Executive Director, as Chief Human Resources Officer of D19 CSB, is ultimately responsible for execution of policy related to EEO. The Human Resources Director is D19 CSB's designated EEO Officer and has responsibility for making certain the policy is fully understood, that effective programs are implemented and that appropriate support is provided through the Human Resources Office to line management to assist them in adherence to EEO. The designated EEO Officer is also responsible for coordinating the day to day implementation of our EEO plans and for the regular reporting of progress and deficiencies to the Executive Director.
2.1.2 Procedures
Any employee or applicant for employment who feels their EEO rights are being violated should immediately contact the Executive Director or the Human Resources Director. All complaints will be immediately and thoroughly investigated. Penalties for founded cases of EEO violations will be determined and may include immediate discharge of an employee in violation of EEO laws and guidelines.
2.2 SEXUAL HARASSMENT
2.2.1 Purpose
To stress the organization's strong opposition to sexual harassment and identify the complaint procedures available, as well as the disciplinary penalties that could be imposed for sexually harassing conduct or behavior by managers, coworkers, clients, or visitors.
2.2.2 Guidelines
- Sexual harassment includes any unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature where tolerance of such actions is made a condition of employment that interferes with an individual's work performance or creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive work environment.
- It is illegal and against D19 CSB's policy for any worker, male or female, to harass another worker or to create a hostile working environment by either committing or encouraging: physical assaults on another employee, including but not limited to, rape, sexual battery, molestation, or attempts to commit these assaults; or intentional physical conduct that is sexual in nature, including but not limited to, touching, pinching, patting, or brushing up against another employee's body; and unwanted sexual advances, propositions, or sexual comments, including making sexual gestures, jokes, or comments made in the presence of any employee who has indicated that such conduct in his or her presence is unwelcome; and posting or displaying pictures, posters, calendars, graffiti, objects, or materials that are sexual in nature or pornographic.
- The creation of an intimidating, hostile, or offensive working environment may include such actions as persistent sexual comments or the display of obscene or sexually oriented photographs or drawings. However, conduct or actions that arise out of a personal or social relationship and that are not intended to have a discriminatory employment effect may not be viewed as harassment. The Executive Director and/ or the Human Resources Director must determine whether such conduct constitutes sexual harassment, based on a review of facts and circumstances of each situation. The Board of Directors or the Board's representative will be responsible for determining if sexual harassment has occurred when allegations have been made against the Executive Director and/ or the Human Resources Director.
- District 19 Community Services Board will not tolerate any sexual harassment of its employees. All workers, including supervisors and managers, will be subject to discipline based upon "Standards of Conduct" Policy (See Policy 7.2), up to and including discharge, for any act of sexual harassment they commit.
- Employees who feel subjected to sexual harassment are encouraged to report the harassment to their supervisor or the organization's Human Resources Director or Executive Director immediately. If the worker's immediate supervisor is the source of the alleged harassment, the employee should report the problem to the supervisor's superior, the Human Resources Director or the Executive Director.
- Supervisors and managers who receive a sexual harassment complaint or become aware of a sexual harassment incident have a duty to report it to the Human Resources Director or Executive Director. Such complaints or incidents shall be carefully investigated, questioning all individuals who may have knowledge of either the incident in question or similar problems. Both the complaint and the investigative steps and findings should be documented as thoroughly as possible. As much as possible, confidentiality will be maintained with respect to a sexual harassment complaint and only those who need to know about such a complaint will be advised of its existence.
- No employee will be subject to any form of retaliation or discipline for pursuing a sexual harassment complaint. Any employee found to have retaliated against an employee for voicing a complaint shall receive prompt disciplinary action, which may include termination of employment.