Non-discrimination & Harassment Policy
It is the policy of Project Outpour to provide a safe and equitable environment for all guests, staff members and volunteers without discrimination or (sexual) harassment of any form. Any such discrimination or (sexual) harassment is prohibited and will not be tolerated. This applies to all provisions of service for our guests, and to staff members and volunteers. We are committed to providing an inclusive and welcoming environment for all guests, staff members and volunteers. We also prohibit retaliation against any guest, staff member or volunteer bringing forward a good-faith concern of discrimination or (sexual) harassment.
Discrimination refers to the treatment or consideration of, or making a distinction in favor of or against, a person based on their group, class or category to which they belong/identify rather than on their individual merit. Harassment is defined as a course of conduct which annoys, threatens, intimidates, alarms, or puts a person in fear for their safety. Harassment is unwanted, unwelcomed and uninvited behavior that demeans, threatens or offends the victim and results in a hostile environment for the victim. Project Outpour does not tolerate discrimination or (sexual) harassment of any kind on the basis of any of the protected categories:
- race, color, ethnic or national origin
- nationality, citizenship, immigration status or ancestry
- language
- religion or religious creed
- military or veteran status
- sex
- age
- marital status
- political views or activity
- disability
- citizenship
- sexual orientation
- gender expression or gender identity
- status as a survivor of domestic violent, sexual assault or the like
- any other characteristic protected by federal or state law
Harassment can range from extreme forms such as violence, threats, physical touching or can be sexual in nature to less obvious actions like ridiculing and teasing. examples of harassment may include:
- derogatory or insensitive jokes, pranks or comments
- slurs or epithets
- non-verbal behavior such as staring, leering or gestures
- ridiculing or demeaning comments
- innuendos or veiled threats
- aggressive behaviors amounting to bullying
- displaying or sharing offensive images such as posters, videos, photos, cartoons, screensavers, emails, or drawings that are derogatory or sexual in nature
- offensive comments about appearance or other personal or physical characteristics, such as sexually charged comments or comments on someone’s physical disability
- unnecessary or unwanted bodily contact such as groping or massaging, blocking normal movement or physically interfering with the work of another individual
- unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature when submission to such conduct is made either explicitly or implicitly a term or condition of a staff member’s employment or when submission to or rejection of such conduct by a staff member is used as the basis for employment decisions
This is not an exhaustive list, and there may be other behaviors that constitute unacceptable discrimination and (sexual) harassment under this policy. “I was joking” or “I didn’t mean it that way” are not defenses to allegations of discrimination or (sexual) harassment; nor is being under the influence of alcohol or other substances.
Because the intent of this policy is to deter conduct that is unwanted, unreasonable and demeaning, project outpour may consider a guest, staff member or volunteer’s conduct to be in violation of this policy even if it falls short of unlawful discrimination or (sexual) harassment under applicable law. When determining whether conduct violates this policy, we consider whether a reasonable person could conclude that the conduct created an intimidating, hostile, degrading or demeaning environment. If we determine a guest, staff member or volunteer’s conduct has violated this policy, we will take steps to ensure the conduct is addressed and the “harasser” may be subject to corrective action up to termination (staff member or volunteer) or banishment of services (guest).
We have an “open door policy” built on a culture of integrity, character, and trust and therefore encourage any guest, staff member, or volunteer to feel safe in raising concerns about the conduct of another. Any guest, staff member, or volunteer who believes he/she has been harassed or has witnessed or heard about a potential violation of this policy, should report the conduct immediately so that we can take the necessary steps to rectify the issue as soon as possible. Written or oral grievances are accepted and should be made directly to our Chief Dignity Officer. We will keep all grievances confidential to the extent possible while still fulfilling our obligation to investigate and end any discrimination or (sexual) harassment.
It is also against our policy for any guest, staff member or volunteer to retaliate against another guest, staff member or volunteer for their coming forward to report a grievance. Retaliation is when someone penalizes another person for any of the following:
- reporting what they believe, in good faith, to have been discrimination or (sexual) harassment
- expressing an intent to report what they believe, in good faith, to be discrimination (sexual) harassment and/or a violation of this policy
- assisting another employee in an effort to report discrimination or (sexual) harassment
Retaliation will not be tolerated and may result in corrective action up to termination (staff member or volunteer) or suspension of services (guest).