YOUR CHURCH is committed to providing a work environment that is free from all forms of discrimination and conduct that can be considered harassing, coercive, or disruptive, including sexual harassment. YOUR CHURCH will not tolerate any actions, words, jokes, or comments based on a person’s gender, race, national origin, age, disability, or any other legally protected personal characteristic.
Sexual harassment is defined as unwanted sexual advances, or visual, verbal, or physical conduct of a sexual nature. This definition includes many forms of offensive behavior and includes gender-based harassment of a person of the same sex as the harasser. The following is a partial list of sexual harassment examples:
- Unwanted sexual advances
- Offering employment benefits in exchange for sexual favors
- Making or threatening reprisals after a negative response to sexual advances
- Visual conduct that includes leering, making sexual gestures, or displaying of sexually suggestive objects or pictures, cartoons, or posters
- Verbal conduct that includes making or using derogatory comments, epithets, slurs, or jokes
- Verbal sexual advances or propositions
- Verbal abuse of a sexual nature, graphic verbal commentaries about an individual’s body, sexually degrading words used to describe an individual, or suggestive or obscene letters, notes, or invitations
- Physical conduct that includes touching, assaulting, or impeding or blocking movements
Unwelcome sexual advances (either verbal or physical), requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature constitute sexual harassment when: (1) submission to such conduct is made either explicitly or implicitly a term or condition of employment; (2) submission or rejection of the conduct is used as a basis for making employment decisions; or, (3) the conduct has the purpose or effect of interfering with work performance or creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive work environment.
If a YOUR CHURCH staff member experiences or witnesses sexual or other unlawful harassment at work, it should be reported immediately to the individual’s ministry area leader. If the ministry area leader is unavailable or the staff member believes it would be inappropriate to discuss it with their ministry area leader, the staff member should immediately contact the Executive Pastor. It is the policy of YOUR CHURCH that no staff member will suffer any form of punishment or reprisal for reporting sexual harassment or asking questions or raising concerns about sexual harassment.
All allegations of sexual harassment will be quickly and discreetly investigated. To the extent possible, the details will be kept confidential and the alleged harasser will be protected against unnecessary disclosure. When the investigation is completed, the reporting staff member will be informed of the outcome of the investigation and appropriate action will be taken. Any staff member who engages in sexual or other unlawful harassment may be subject to corrective action, up to and including termination of employment.
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