Harassment and bullying will not be tolerated within the EMS Department!

Harassment

Harassment is where one person directs behavior at an employee including watching, loitering, following, or accosting them, interfering with their property or acting in ways that causes them to fear for their safety. To be considered harassment, the behavior must either be repeated, or of such a significant nature that it is humiliating, offensive or intimidating to an employee and creates a risk to their health and safety and/or has a detrimental effect on their performance at work.

Sexual Harassment

Sexual harassment is language, visual material or physical behavior of a sexual nature which is unwelcome or offensive to an employee, and which is either repeated or so significant that it has a detrimental effect on the employee’s employment, job performance or job satisfaction.

Bullying

Bullying is repeated and unreasonable behavior which is directed at an employee or group of employees that creates a risk to their health and safety and/or has a detrimental effect on that employee or group of employees:

• Repeated behavior is persistent and can involve a range of actions over time

• Unreasonable behavior is behavior that a reasonable person in the same circumstances would consider to be victimizing, humiliating, intimidating or threatening

Bullying and sexual/harassment can have a serious impact both for employees of/and for EMS Department, in terms of productivity and success. We are committed to providing a healthy, safe, supportive and positive work environment, where everyone is respected and behaves professionally towards each other.

All EMS Department employees, consultants, contractors and agency staff are expected to:

• Treat their colleagues with respect

• Behave in ways that contribute to a safe and positive workplace

• Be understanding of people’s differences

• Report any behavior which they genuinely consider to be a breach of this policy

In addition to this, EMS Department leaders are expected to:

• Lead by example and build a respectful work environment

• Encourage their team members to talk through any issues which may be considered bullying or harassment (when appropriate)

• Treat any complaint seriously and act promptly to get it resolved.

All cases will be treated as a serious misconduct and will immediately be stood down from the EMS Department pending further investigation.