Mar 19, 2024  
ACE Employee Handbook 2020 
    
ACE Employee Handbook 2020 [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Harassment, Including Sexual Harassment


ACE’s policy is to provide you with a workplace in which you are free from any type of unlawful discrimination, including freedom from harassment based on race, color, religion, creed, gender, sexual orientation, age, national origin or ancestry, marital status, physical or mental disability, veteran status, or any other status protected by law.

Sexual Harassment

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has defined sexual harassment as follows: “Unwelcome sexual advances (verbal, written or physical), 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 as a term or condition of an individual’s continued employment.
  • Submission to or rejection of such conduct is used as a basis for employment decisions affecting such individual (e.g., promotions, transfers, training, hiring, work assignments and pay).
  • Such conduct unreasonably interferes with an individual’s work performance or creates an “intimidating, hostile, or offensive work environment.”

Other Forms of Harassment

Other forms of prohibited harassment may occur when comments or other behavior based on a protected status affect your ability to perform your job. Harassment prohibited by this policy is defined as verbal or physical conduct that demeans you or shows hostility towards you because of your race, color, religion, creed, gender, sexual orientation, age, national origin or ancestry, marital status, veteran status, physical or mental disability, or any other status protected by law.

Harassment in violation of this policy occurs when such conduct unreasonably interferes with your work performance or creates an intimidating, hostile, or offensive work environment.

Examples of comments and/or behavior that may be considered prohibited harassment include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Epithets, slurs, derogatory and/or belittling comments, nicknames, jokes or pranks. Any show or display of material such as e-mail messages, graphics (including those that are computer generated), cartoons, pictures, photographs or objects in the workplace or at work-related functions that are derogatory or inflammatory, or that demean you or show hostility toward you based on your culture, accent, appearance, customs, or status in a protected category.
  • Unwanted physical contact or assault; or threatening, intimidating, or hostile behavior.

Every employee shares in the responsibility for maintaining an atmosphere free from harassment of any kind. If any employee believes he or she has been harassed or observes harassment in violation of this policy, he or she should let the harassing party know that the conduct is unwelcome and, if the behavior continues, report the conduct to his or her immediate supervisor or HR. We will investigate and resolve complaints in accordance with standard investigative practices.

ACE will not tolerate any form of prohibited harassment. Any employee who is found to have engaged in discrimination or harassment in violation of ACE’s policies shall be disciplined up to and including termination.