Harassment

 

EXECUTIVE MEMORANDUM
31 January 2010

To: ALL EMPLOYEES

Subject: Harassment

1. Sexual harassment, as well as harassment because of an individual’s race, color, religion, national origin, age, physical or mental disability or gender, with or without sexual conduct, including same sex harassment is illegal and violates the policies of Petra Tech. Retaliating or discriminating against an employee for complaining about harassment, or for participating as a witness in any investigation thereof, is also a violation of Company policy. Our goal is to provide a quality working atmosphere for all employees, free of discrimination, harassment and retaliation. The Company will not tolerate discrimination, harassment or any retaliation against an individual for reporting or opposing harassment in violation of Petra Tech policy or participating as a witness in any investigation thereof.
   
2. Prohibited harassment is verbal or physical conduct that denigrates or shows hostility or aversion toward an individual because of his/her race, color, religion, national origin, age, physical or mental disability, or gender, with or without sexual conduct, including same sex harassment and that has the purpose or effect of creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive work environment, unreasonably interfering with an individual’s work performance or otherwise adversely affecting an individual’s employment opportunities. Conduct can be harassing regardless of from whom it comes: supervisor, co-workers, or non-employees.
   
3. Sexual harassment, one form of prohibited harassment, includes unwelcome sexual advances, request for sexual favors and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature when submission to such conduct is explicitly or implicitly made a term or condition of an individual’s employment, submission to or rejection of such conduct is the basis for any employment decision affecting an individual or such conduct has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with an individual’s work performance or creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive working environment.
   
4. Any employee who believes he or she has been the subject of sexual or other prohibited harassment or retaliation should report the conduct immediately to one of the following Company representatives: your supervisor, your supervisor’s supervisor, the Ombudsperson, the Equal Employment Opportunity Representative, your Human Resources department or the Ethics Program Director. The complaint will be investigated and appropriate corrective action will be taken. The complaint will be treated in a confidential manner to the extent feasible and consistent with the Company’s obligations to investigate and take appropriate corrective action. The Company will not tolerate retaliation against any employee who opposes harassment or initiates a complaint of harassment or retaliation or is a witness in any investigation thereof.
   
5. If it is determined after an investigation that an employee has engaged in prohibited harassment or retaliation in violation of Company policy, he/she will be subject to appropriate disciplinary action, up to and including discharge.
   
6. The Company recognizes that false accusations of harassment can have serious effects on innocent men and women. We trust that all employees will continue to act in a responsible and professional manner to establish a working environment free of unlawful discrimination, harassment or retaliation.