Sustainable Economies Law Center (“the Law Center”) is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to providing a work environment free of harassment or discrimination based on sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding or related medical conditions), race, religion (including religious dress and grooming practices), color, gender (including gender identity and gender expression), national origin (including language use restrictions and possession of a driver's license issued under Vehicle Code section 12801.9), ancestry, physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, registered domestic partner status, age, sexual orientation, military and veteran status or any other basis protected by federal, state or local laws.

In addition, the Law Center prohibits discrimination or harassment based on the perception that anyone has any of those characteristics, or is associated with a person who has or is perceived as having any of those characteristics. The Law Center also prohibits disrespectful conduct, bullying or other unprofessional conduct in the workplace.

In addition, the Law Center prohibits retaliation against individuals who raise complaints of discrimination or harassment or who participate in workplace investigations concerning such complaints.

All such conduct violates the Law Center’s anti-harassment/discrimination and retaliation policy.

Harassment Prevention

The Law Center's policy prohibiting harassment applies to all persons involved in the operation of the organization. The Law Center prohibits harassment, and disrespectful, bullying, or other unprofessional conduct by any employee of the organization, including supervisors, managers and co-workers as well as independent contractors, unpaid interns, volunteers, persons providing services pursuant to a contract and any other persons with whom you come into contact while working.

Prohibited conduct includes, but is not limited to, the following behavior:

• Verbal conduct such as epithets, derogatory jokes or comments, slurs or unwanted sexual advances, invitations, comments, posts, or messages;

• Visual displays such as derogatory and/or sexually-oriented posters, photography, cartoons, drawings, or gestures;

• Physical conduct including assault, unwanted touching, intentionally blocking normal movement or interfering with work because of sex, race, or any other protected basis;

• Threats and demands to submit to sexual requests or sexual advances as a condition of continued employment, or to avoid some other loss and offers of employment benefits in return for sexual favors;

• Retaliation for reporting or threatening to report harassment; and

• Communication via electronic media of any type that includes any conduct that is prohibited by state and/or federal law or by the Law Center policy.

Sexual harassment does not need to be motivated by sexual desire to be unlawful or to violate this policy. Prohibited harassment is not just sexual harassment but harassment based on any protected category.

No Discrimination

The Law Center is committed to compliance with all applicable laws providing equal employment opportunities. This commitment applies to all persons involved in the Law Center’s operations. The organization prohibits unlawful discrimination against any job applicant, employee, volunteer, unpaid intern, or independent contractor by any employee of the organization.

Pay discrimination between employees of the opposite sex performing substantially similar work, as defined by the California Fair Pay Act and federal law, is prohibited. Pay differentials may be valid in certain situations as defined by law. Employees will not be retaliated against for inquiring about or discussing wages.

No Retaliation

The Law Center will not retaliate against you for filing a complaint of unlawful harassment or discrimination or participating in any workplace investigation concerning such a complaint, and will not tolerate or permit retaliation by supervisors, employees, or co-workers.

Complaint Process

If you believe that you have been the subject of harassment, discrimination, retaliation or other prohibited conduct, report your complaint to your supervisor (if any) or to any member of the Conflict Engagement Team or the Board Secretary as soon as possible after the incident. Please provide all known details of the incident or incidents, names of individuals involved, and names of any witnesses. It is preferred that you report your complaint in writing, but this is not mandatory.

The Law Center encourages all individuals to report any incidents of harassment, discrimination, retaliation, or other prohibited conduct forbidden by this policy as soon as possible so that your complaint can be resolved in a fair and timely manner.

You may also file a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and/or the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH) who will investigate and prosecute complaints of prohibited harassment, discrimination, and retaliation in employment. The nearest office can be found by visiting the agency websites at www.dfeh.ca.gov and www.eeoc.gov.

Supervisors must refer all complaints involving harassment, discrimination, retaliation or other prohibited conduct to any member of the Conflict Engagement Team or the Board Secretary so the Law Center can resolve the complaint.

When the Law Center receives a complaint of misconduct, it will immediately undertake a fair, timely, thorough, and objective investigation of the allegations in accordance with all legal requirements. The Law Center will reach reasonable conclusions based on the evidence collected.

The Law Center will maintain confidentiality to the extent possible. However, the Law Center cannot promise complete confidentiality. The employer's duty to investigate and take corrective action may require the disclosure of information to individuals with a need to know.

Complaints will be:

• Responded to in a timely manner

• Kept confidential to the extent possible

• Investigated impartially by qualified personnel in a timely manner

• Documented and tracked for reasonable progress

• Given appropriate options for remedial action and resolution

• Closed in a timely manner

If the Law Center determines that harassment, discrimination, retaliation, or other prohibited conduct has occurred, appropriate and effective corrective and remedial action will be taken in accordance with the circumstances involved. The Law Center also will take appropriate action to deter future misconduct.

Any employee determined by the Law Center to be responsible for harassment, discrimination, retaliation or other prohibited conduct will be subject to appropriate disciplinary action, up to, and including termination. Employees should also know that if they engage in unlawful harassment, they can be held personally liable for the misconduct.