Training Material
The focus of this year’s EEO refresher course is harassment. There are many subjects we could review but harassment is as good a place as any to start.
Why This is Important
Treating people with dignity and respect is the right thing to do.
Our effective performance depends on the maintenance of trust and respect of the public and among MCFRS personnel.
MCFRS has a need to secure discipline, mutual respect, trust and efficiency among all ranks.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________
Harassment is unwelcome conduct that is based on race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), national origin, age (40 or older), disability or genetic information. -source
Seven minute video with background information and may be a source of learning assessment questions.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
An employee must not:
(1) discriminate against or harass another employee on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, sex, marital status, age, disability, sexual orientation, or genetic status;
(2) subject another employee, contractor, consultant, citizen, applicant, customer, or client to harassment on the basis of any of the causes listed in (1) above; or
(3) retaliate against a complainant or other person who has testified, assisted, or participated in any manner in an investigation under this policy. (f) The County may take disciplinary action up to and including dismissal against an employee who discriminates, harasses, retaliates, or engages in behavior that tends to create a hostile working environment. --County Personnel Regulations
Three Points
Petty slights, annoyances, and isolated incidents (unless extremely serious) will not rise to the level of illegality. To be unlawful, the conduct must create a work environment that would be intimidating, hostile, or offensive to reasonable people. (remember there is a difference between unlawful and a MCFRS policy violation)
Offensive conduct may include, but is not limited to, offensive jokes, slurs, epithets or name calling, physical assaults or threats, intimidation, ridicule or mockery, insults or put-downs, offensive objects or pictures, and interference with work performance.
The harasser can be the victim's supervisor, a supervisor in another area, an agent of the employer, a co-worker, or a non-employee. AND the victim does not have to be the person harassed, but can be anyone affected by the offensive conduct.
Our Principles
Guiding Principles (modified for brevity)
Our Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service providers will:
Serve with integrity and mutual respect
Recognize the importance of diversity of our workforce and communities
Be responsible for the honor of our profession and public service
Promote equity and harmony among career and volunteer personnel
Continuously improve public confidence and trust
*These principles, if followed, prevent behaviors meeting the definition of harassment.*
Existing Policy Review
On duty personnel must behave in a professional manner that reflects favorably on the MCFRS at all times.
Must not refer to any other person or group in a way that may reasonably be construed as demeaning or constituting discrimination
Code of Conduct 502
Employees will be courteous and discreet toward each other, volunteer personnel and the public and maintain proper decorum and command of temper.
Discrimination 507
All employees are responsible for assuring a non-discriminatory work environment. This includes being responsible for their own personal conduct, and reporting any observed discriminatory behavior to supervisory personnel.
An offended party is responsible for notifying the offending party when an act or behavior is perceived as offensive. (Only MCFRS not required by county/state or federal)
All supervisory personnel are required to investigate, and when appropriate implement corrective actions whenever any discriminatory acts are observed or reported.
Inappropriate things for work include but are not limited to:
Conversations related to protected classes (such as your opinions on gender, sex, religion, race, etc...)
Sexual explicit television, movies, downloads, images, pictures, conversations...
POLITICS- Don't do it.
Anything else that interferes with the efficient conduct of the mission.
Personnel medical information.
REPORTING
Go to FRS Quicklinks >>Fire Chief >>EEO for the most up-to-date links, addresses, emails, etc....for reporting.
Reporting Discrimination and/or Harassment.
An individual who believes that he or she has been subjected to employment discrimination or harassment in violation of this policy, or any person acting on behalf of such an individual, may file a complaint with one or more of the following:
(1) the individual’s supervisor or department director, if the individual is a County employee;
(2) the County’s EEO Officer;
(3) the Office of Human Rights; or
(4) a State or Federal enforcement agency