Village of Great Neck Estates, NY Chapter 67 Sexual Harassment Policy

[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Trustees of the Village of Great Neck Estates 10-8-2018.[1] Amendments noted where applicable.]

[1] Editor’s Note: Former Chapter 67, Sexual Harassment Policy, adopted 10-12-1994 as Sec. 2 of L.L. No. 6-1994 (Ch. 27 of the 1981 Code), as amended, was repealed 12-10-2018 by L.L. No. 4-2018.

§ 67-1 Introduction.

A. The Village of Great Neck Estates is committed to maintaining a workplace free from sexual harassment. Sexual harassment is a form of workplace discrimination. All employees are required to work in a manner that prevents sexual harassment in the workplace. This Policy is one component of the Village of Great Neck Estates' commitment to a discrimination-free work environment.

B. Sexual harassment is against the law.[1] All employees have a legal right to a workplace free from sexual harassment, and employees are urged to report sexual harassment by filing a complaint internally with the Village of Great Neck Estates. Employees also may file a complaint with a government agency or in court under federal, state or local antidiscrimination laws.

[1] While this policy specifically addresses sexual harassment, harassment because of and discrimination against persons of all protected classes is prohibited. In New York State, such classes include age, race, creed, color, national origin, sexual orientation, military status, sex, disability, marital status, domestic violence victim status, gender identity and criminal history.

§ 67-2 Applicability; policy.

The Village of Great Neck Estates policy applies to all employees, applicants for employment, interns, whether paid or unpaid, contractors and persons conducting business, regardless of immigration status, with the Village of Great Neck Estates. In the remainder of this document, the term "employees" refers to this collective group and also includes appointed officers of the Village.

A. Sexual harassment will not be tolerated. Any employee or individual covered by this policy who engages in sexual harassment or retaliation will be subject to remedial and/or disciplinary action (e.g., counseling, suspension, termination).

B. Retaliation prohibition: No person covered by this Policy shall be subject to adverse employment action because the employee reports incidents of sexual harassment, provides information, or otherwise assists in any investigation of a sexual harassment complaint. The Village of Great Neck Estates will not tolerate such retaliation against anyone who, in good faith, reports or provides information about suspected sexual harassment. Any employee of the Village of Great Neck Estates who retaliates against anyone involved in a sexual harassment investigation will be subjected to disciplinary action, up to and including termination. All employees, paid or unpaid interns, or nonemployees[1] working in the workplace who believe they have been subject to such retaliation should inform a supervisor, manager, the Village Administrator or the Mayor. Any employee, paid or unpaid intern or nonemployee who believes they have been a target of such retaliation may also seek relief in other available forums, as explained below in the section on legal protections.

[1] A nonemployee is someone who is (or is employed by) a contractor, subcontractor, vendor, consultant, or anyone providing services in the workplace. Protected nonemployees include persons commonly referred to as "independent contractors," "gig workers" and "temporary workers." Also included are persons providing equipment repair, cleaning services or any other services provided pursuant to a contract with the employer.

C. Sexual harassment is offensive, a violation of Village policies, unlawful, and may subject the Village of Great Neck Estates to liability for harm to targets of sexual harassment. Harassers may also be individually subject to liability. Employees of every level who engage in sexual harassment, including managers and supervisors who engage in sexual harassment or who allow such behavior to continue, will be penalized for such misconduct.

D. The Village of Great Neck Estates will conduct a prompt and thorough investigation that ensures due process for all parties whenever management receives a complaint about sexual harassment or otherwise knows of possible sexual harassment occurring. The Village will keep the investigation confidential to the extent possible. Effective corrective action will be taken whenever sexual harassment is found to have occurred. All employees, including managers and supervisors, are required to cooperate with any internal investigation of sexual harassment.

E. All employees are encouraged to report any harassment or behaviors that violate this policy. The Village of Great Neck Estates will provide all employees a complaint form for employees to report harassment and file complaints.

F. Managers and supervisors are required to report to the Village Administrator or the Mayor any complaint that they receive, or any harassment that they observe or become aware of.

G. This policy applies to all employees, paid or unpaid interns, and nonemployees, and all must follow and uphold this policy. This policy must be provided to all employees and should be posted prominently in all work locations to the extent practicable (for example, in a main office and not an off-site work location) and be provided to employees upon hiring.

§ 67-3 Definitions; prohibited acts.

A. Sexual harassment is a form of sex discrimination and is unlawful under federal, state and (where applicable) local law. Sexual harassment includes harassment on the basis of sex, sexual orientation, self-identified or perceived sex, gender expression, gender identity and the status of being transgender.

B. Sexual harassment includes unwelcome conduct which is either of a sexual nature, or which is directed at an individual because of that individual's sex when:

(1) Such conduct has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with an individual's work performance or creating an intimidating, hostile or offensive work environment, even if the reporting individual is not the intended target of the sexual harassment;

(2) Such conduct is made either explicitly or implicitly a term or condition of employment; or

(3) Submission to or rejection of such conduct is used as the basis for employment decisions affecting an individual's employment.

C. A sexually harassing hostile work environment includes, but is not limited to, words, signs, jokes, pranks, intimidation or physical violence which are of a sexual nature, or which are directed at an individual because of that individual's sex. Sexual harassment also includes any unwanted verbal or physical advances, sexually explicit derogatory statements or sexually discriminatory remarks made by someone which are offensive or objectionable to the recipient, which cause the recipient discomfort or humiliation, or which interfere with the recipient's job performance.

D. Sexual harassment also occurs when a person in authority tries to trade job benefits for sexual favors. This can include hiring, promotion, continued employment or any other terms, conditions or privileges of employment. This is also called "quid pro quo" harassment.

E. Any employee who feels harassed should report so that any violation of this policy can be corrected promptly. Any harassing conduct, even a single incident, can be addressed under this policy.

F. Examples of sexual harassment. The following describes some of the types of acts that may be unlawful sexual harassment and that are strictly prohibited:

(1) Physical assaults of a sexual nature, such as:

(a) Touching, pinching, patting, kissing, hugging, grabbing, brushing against another employee's body or poking another employee's body;

(b) Rape, sexual battery, molestation or attempts to commit these assaults.

(2) Unwanted sexual advances or propositions, such as:

(a) Requests for sexual favors accompanied by implied or overt threats concerning the target's job performance evaluation, a promotion or other job benefits or detriments;

(b) Subtle or obvious pressure for unwelcome sexual activities.

(3) Sexually oriented gestures, noises, remarks, jokes or comments about a person's sexuality or sexual experience, which create a hostile work environment.

(4) Sex stereotyping occurs when conduct or personality traits are considered appropriate simply because they may not conform to other people's ideas or perceptions about how individuals of a particular sex should act or look.

(5) Sexual or discriminatory displays or publications anywhere in the workplace, such as:

(a) Displaying pictures, posters, calendars, graffiti, objects, promotional material, reading materials or other materials that are sexually demeaning or pornographic. This includes such sexual displays on workplace computers or cell phones and sharing such displays while in the workplace.

(6) Hostile actions taken against an individual because of that individual's sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or the status of being transgender, such as:

(a) Interfering with, destroying or damaging a person's workstation, tools or equipment, or otherwise interfering with the individual's ability to perform the job;

(b) Sabotaging an individual's work;

(c) Bullying, yelling, name calling.

G. Who can be a target of sexual harassment? Sexual harassment can occur between any individuals, regardless of their sex or gender. New York law protects employees, paid or unpaid interns, and nonemployees, including independent contractors, and those employed by companies contracting to provide services in the workplace. Harassers can be a superior, a subordinate, a coworker, or anyone in the workplace including an independent contractor, contract worker, vendor, client, customer or visitor.

H. Where can sexual harassment occur? Unlawful sexual harassment is not limited to the physical workplace itself. It can occur while employees are traveling for business or at employer sponsored events or parties. Calls, texts, e-mails, and social media usage by employees can constitute unlawful workplace harassment, even if such conduct occurs away from the workplace premises or outside work hours.

§ 67-4 Unlawful retaliation; protected activity.

A. Unlawful retaliation can be any action that would discourage a worker from coming forward to make or support a sexual harassment claim. Adverse action need not be job-related or occur in the workplace to constitute unlawful retaliation (e.g., threats of physical violence outside of work hours). Such retaliation is unlawful under federal, state and (where applicable) local law.

B. The New York State Human Rights Law[1] protects any individual who has engaged in "protected activity." Protected activity occurs when a person has:

(1) Made a complaint of sexual harassment, either internally or with any antidiscrimination agency;

(2) Testified or assisted in a proceeding involving sexual harassment under the Human Rights Law or other antidiscrimination law;

(3) Opposed sexual harassment by making a verbal or informal complaint to management, or by simply informing a supervisor or manager of harassment;

(4) Reported that another employee has been sexually harassed; or

(5) Encouraged a fellow employee to report harassment.

[1] Editor's Note: See Executive Law § 290 et seq.

§ 67-5 Reporting procedure.

A. Preventing sexual harassment is everyone's responsibility. The Village of Great Neck Estates cannot prevent or remedy sexual harassment unless it knows about it. Any employee, paid or unpaid intern or nonemployee who has been subjected to behavior that may constitute sexual harassment is encouraged to report such behavior to a supervisor, manager, the Village Administrator or the Mayor. Anyone who witnesses or becomes aware of potential instances of sexual harassment should report such behavior to a supervisor, manager, the Village Administrator or the Mayor.

B. Reports of sexual harassment may be made verbally or in writing. A form for submission of a written complaint is attached to this policy, and all employees are encouraged to use this complaint form. Employees who are reporting sexual harassment on behalf of other employees should use the complaint form and note that it is on another employee's behalf.

C. Employees, paid or unpaid interns or nonemployees who believe they have been a target of sexual harassment may also seek assistance in other available forums, as explained below in the section on legal protections.

§ 67-6 Supervisory responsibilities.

A. All supervisors and managers who receive a complaint or information about suspected sexual harassment, observe what may be sexually harassing behavior or for any reason suspect that sexual harassment is occurring are required to report such suspected sexual harassment to the Village Administrator or Mayor.

B. In addition to being subject to discipline if they engaged in sexually harassing conduct themselves, supervisors and managers will be subject to discipline for failing to report suspected sexual harassment or otherwise knowingly allowing sexual harassment to continue.

C. Supervisors and managers will also be subject to discipline for engaging in any retaliation.

§ 67-7 Complaints; investigations.

A. All complaints or information about suspected sexual harassment will be investigated, whether that information was reported in verbal or written form. Investigations will be conducted in a timely manner and will be confidential to the extent possible.

B. An investigation of any complaint, information or knowledge of suspected sexual harassment will be prompt and thorough, commenced immediately and completed as soon as possible. The investigation will be kept confidential to the extent possible. All persons involved, including complainants, witnesses and alleged harassers will be accorded due process, as outlined below, to protect their rights to a fair and impartial investigation.

C. Any employee may be required to cooperate as needed in an investigation of suspected sexual harassment. The Village of Great Neck Estates will not tolerate retaliation against employees who file complaints, support another's complaint or participate in an investigation regarding a violation of this policy.

D. While the process may vary from case to case, investigations should be done in accordance with the following steps:

(1) Upon receipt of a complaint, the Village Administrator or the Mayor will conduct an immediate review of the allegations and take any interim actions (e.g., instructing the respondent to refrain from communications with the complainant), as appropriate. If the complaint is verbal, the investigating authority will encourage the individual to complete the complaint form in writing. If he or she refuses, the investigating authority will prepare a complaint form based on the oral reporting.

(2) If documents, e-mails or phone records are relevant to the allegations, the person responsible for investigation shall take steps to obtain and preserve them.

(3) Request and review all relevant documents, including all electronic communications.

(4) Interview all parties involved, including any relevant witnesses.

(5) Create a written documentation of the investigation (such as a letter, memo or e-mail) which contains the following:

(a) A list of all documents reviewed, along with a detailed summary of relevant documents;

(b) A list of names of those interviewed, along with a detailed summary of their statements;

(c) A time line of events;

(d) A summary of prior relevant incidents, reported or unreported; and

(e) The basis for the decision and final resolution of the complaint, together with any corrective action(s).

(6) Keep the written documentation and associated documents in a secure and confidential location.

(7) Promptly notify the individual who reported and the individual(s) about whom the complaint was made of the final determination and implement any corrective actions identified in the written document.

(8) Inform the individual who reported of the right to file a complaint or charge externally as outlined below.

§ 67-8 Legal protection; external remedies.

A. Sexual harassment is not only prohibited by the Village of Great Neck Estates, but is also prohibited by state and federal law and may be prohibited by applicable local law. In addition to, or separate from, the internal process at the Village of Great Neck Estates, employees may also choose to pursue legal remedies with the following governmental entities at any time. While a private attorney is not required in order to file a complaint with a governmental agency, you may seek the legal advice of a private attorney if you wish to do so.

(1) New York State Division of Human Rights (DHR).

(a) The Human Rights Law (HRL), codified as New York Executive Law, Article 15, § 290 et seq., applies to employers in New York State with regard to sexual harassment and protects employees, paid or unpaid interns and nonemployees, regardless of immigration status. A complaint alleging violation of the Human Rights Law may be filed either with DHR or in New York State Supreme Court.

(b) Complaints with DHR may be filed any time within one year of the harassment. If an individual did not file at DHR, they can sue directly in state court under the HRL within three years of the alleged sexual harassment. An individual may not file with DHR if they have already filed a HRL complaint in state court.

(c) Complaining internally to the Village of Great Neck Estates does not extend your time to file with DHR or in court. The one year or three years is counted from date of the most recent incident of harassment.

(d) You do not need an attorney to file a complaint with DHR, and there is no cost to file with DHR.

(e) DHR will investigate your complaint and determine whether there is probable cause to believe that discrimination has occurred. Probable cause cases are forwarded to a public hearing before an administrative law judge. If discrimination is found after a hearing, DHR has the power to award relief, which varies but may include requiring your employer to take action to stop the harassment, or redress the damage caused, including paying monetary damages, attorney's fees and civil fines.

(f) DHR's main office contact information is: New York State Division of Human Rights, One Fordham Plaza, Fourth Floor, Bronx, New York 10458, [phone] www.dhr.ny.gov. Contact DHR at [phone] or visit dhr.ny.gov/complaint for more information about filing a complaint. The website has a complaint form that can be downloaded, filled out, notarized and mailed to DHR. The website also contains contact information for DHR's regional offices across New York State.

(2) United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) — Civil Rights Act of 1964.

(a) The EEOC enforces federal antidiscrimination laws, including Title VII of the 1964 federal Civil Rights Act (codified as 42 U.S.C. § 2000e et seq.). An individual can file a complaint with the EEOC anytime within 300 days from the harassment. There is no cost to file a complaint with the EEOC. The EEOC will investigate the complaint and determine whether there is reasonable cause to believe that discrimination has occurred, at which point the EEOC will issue a right to sue letter permitting the individual to file a complaint in federal court.

(b) The EEOC does not hold hearings or award relief, but may take other action, including pursuing cases in federal court on behalf of complaining parties. Federal courts may award remedies if discrimination is found to have occurred.

(c) If an employee believes that he/she has been discriminated against at work, he/she can file a charge of discrimination. The EEOC has district, area, and field offices where complaints can be filed. Contact the EEOC by calling 1-800-669-4000 (TTY: 1-800-669-6820), visiting their website at www.eeoc.gov or via email at [e-mail].

(d) If an individual filed an administrative complaint with DHR, DHR will file the complaint with the EEOC to preserve the right to proceed in federal court.

B. Local protections. Many localities enforce laws protecting individuals from sexual harassment and discrimination. Contact the county, city or town in which you live or work to find out if such a law exists.

C. Contact the local police department. If the harassment involves physical touching, coerced physical confinement or coerced sex acts, the conduct may constitute a crime. Contact the local police department.

D. Questions regarding the Village policy. Any Village officer, employee, or paid or unpaid intern, or other person subject to this policy, may submit questions regarding this Policy and its implementation by submitting the questions, in writing, to the Village Administrator or the Mayor. Written responses will be provided with respect to any such question within a reasonable period of time after submission.