For purposes of this Part, the term "employee" shall include any
class of employee defined in this chapter and any federal, state,
or private employee who works in the same office or in close proximity
to a County employee on a regular basis.
For the purpose of this Part, the term "sexual harassment" means
the unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other
verbal, nonverbal, or physical conduct of a sexual nature by a County
employee when:
Such conduct has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering
with an employee's work performance or creating an intimidating, hostile,
or offensive working environment.
Sexual harassment refers to behavior that is unwelcome, that is personally
offensive, and that lowers morale and therefore interferes with work
effectiveness. Sexual harassment may take different forms.
Nonverbal: sexually suggestive objects or pictures, graphic
commentaries, suggestive or insulting sounds, leering, whistling,
obscene gestures, treating an employee differently than other employees
when he or she has refused an offer of sexual relations.
Federal and state law prohibits sexual harassment. It is the policy
of the Board of County Commissioners to regard sexual harassment of
its employees as a very serious matter and to have zero tolerance
for sexually harassing behavior, defined above, in the workplace by
any employee.
It is the policy of the Board of County Commissioners to encourage
employees who feel they have been subjected to sexual harassment to
bring these problems immediately to the direct attention of management.
There is no need for any employee to file a complaint with an outside
third party to receive fair treatment.