Policy

1. Summary

1.1 RELIANT MISSION (“RELIANT”) prohibits unlawful harassment or discrimination because of race, color, religion, sex, ancestry or national origin, pregnancy disability, physical or mental disability, age, genetic information, veteran or military status, or any other basis protected by applicable federal, state, or local law (all as defined and protected by applicable law). Such harassment or discrimination is unacceptable and will not be tolerated. RELIANT expects professional, respectful communication among its employees and volunteers and interaction that exemplifies courtesy and mutual consideration.

1.2 Unlawful harassment or discrimination in any manner or form is expressly prohibited. All incidents of unlawful harassment or discrimination will be promptly and thoroughly investigated, and appropriate corrective action will be taken by management. Any employee of RELIANT or RELIANT volunteer who engages in any conduct constituting unlawful harassment or discrimination will be subject to appropriate disciplinary action, up to and including immediate termination of employment or volunteer service.

2. Harassment

2.1 For purposes of this policy, the term “harassment” includes slurs and any other offensive remarks, profanity, jokes, graphic material, or other verbal, written, or physical conduct, disrespectful behavior, violence, or physically threatening behavior based on any legally protected characteristic. This policy applies whether the harassing conduct occurs in the workplace, while conducting RELIANT business out of the workplace, and/or through the use of any of company property or systems such as computers, telephones, cell/smart phones, fax machines, mail, email, or by any other means, including, but not limited to, any form of communication made through social media. 

2.2 Harassment becomes unlawful where (1) enduring the offensive conduct becomes a condition of continued employment, or (2) the conduct is severe or pervasive enough to create a work environment that a reasonable person would consider intimidating, hostile, or abusive. This policy not only prohibits “unlawful harassment” but harassing conduct that – if allowed to continue – could rise to the level of unlawful harassment. 

2.3 Accordingly, although RELIANT has no interest in stifling the development of friendships and mutually acceptable social contacts, our policy is to take necessary steps to ensure that all who work for RELIANT can do so in an open and non-threatening atmosphere that is free of unwanted advances or other unwelcome conduct. To this end, conduct that may be construed as harassment of any type, including sexual harassment, or harassment based on any other protected characteristic, will not be tolerated. 

2.4 Harassment does not include actions that constitute the free exercise of religion or religious speech, such as the polite sharing of one’s religious faith with another worker, or that is within the scope of a legal exemption or protection as discussed in Section 8 below.

3. Sexual Harassment

3.1 Sexual harassment has been defined generally under both state and federal law as unwelcomed sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature where:

1. submission to or rejection of such conduct is made either explicitly or implicitly a term or condition of an individual’s employment or as a basis for employment decisions affecting such individual; or
2. 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.

3.2 Sexual harassment does not refer to behavior or occasional compliments of a socially acceptable nature. Common courtesy, common sense and a habit of close observation of others' reactions to what is said and done can readily achieve and maintain a friendly, fun work environment. 

3.3 This policy prohibits the harassing conduct identified above on the basis of sex, sexual orientation, gender or gender identity, as well as conduct that includes, but is not limited to, unwelcome advances, propositions, or requests for sexual favors, verbal abuse of a sexual nature, offensive sexual flirtation, explicit or degrading verbal comments about another individual or their body, display of sexually suggestive pictures or objects, any offensive or abusive physical conduct, making or threatening reprisals after a negative response to sexual advances, sexually explicit language, jokes and the like, as well as unwelcome touching or other physical contact or actions that impede or block another’s movement.  

4. Scope of Policy

4.1 This policy prohibiting unlawful harassment and discrimination is not limited to relationships between and among employees and prospective employees and volunteers but also extends to interaction with those served by the ministry. RELIANT will not tolerate any form of unlawful harassment or discrimination against RELIANT employees or volunteers, whether by pastors, executives, managers, supervisors, co-workers, employees, or volunteers, or by vendors, suppliers, clients, customers, independent contractors, or others who do business with RELIANT. No employee or volunteer will be required to suffer unlawful harassment by any volunteer, vendor, supplier, client, customer, independent contractor, or others who do business with RELIANT. Any unwelcome unlawful harassment advanced by a volunteer, vendor, supplier, client, customer, independent contractor, or others who do business with RELIANT should be reported immediately to the HR Director via email at notifyHR@reliant.org or by phone at 407-490-0141. 

4.2 No RELIANT employee, volunteer, or applicant should be subjected to unlawful harassment or discrimination of any nature, including that conduct described herein, by any RELIANT volunteer, vendor, supplier, client, customer, independent contractor, or others who do business with RELIANT. 

5. No Retaliation

5.1 RELIANT prohibits retaliation against any employee or volunteer who, in good faith, reports a concern of harassment or discrimination under this policy, and against any employee or volunteer who assists with the investigation of such a report. Any employee or volunteer who retaliates against an individual who has reported in good faith a concern of harassment or discrimination pursuant to this policy will be subject to discipline, up to and including termination of employment. 

5.2 A report of concern of harassment or discrimination under this policy is made in good faith when the reporting employee or volunteer has reasonable grounds for believing that the information disclosed violates this policy. Any employee or volunteer may be disciplined for making a knowingly false complaint or for providing knowingly false information in the course of an investigation.

6. Complaint Procedure

6.1 RELIANT encourages reporting of all incidents of unlawful harassment or discrimination, as well as retaliation for having reported such harassment or discrimination, regardless of the identity of the offender. While RELIANT encourages individuals who believe they are being harassed or discriminated against to firmly and promptly communicate to the offender that his or her behavior is unwelcome, RELIANT also recognizes that power and status disparities between the offender and the recipient of the offensive conduct may make such communication difficult for the individual who believes they are being harassed or discriminated against. Consequently, such direct communication is not a requirement or prerequisite to reporting a concern under this policy.

6.2 Any employee or volunteer who feels that he or she is or has been the victim of or has observed unlawful harassment or discrimination in violation of this policy should immediately notify his or her supervisor AND also directly to the HR Director or via Reliant's Employee Reporting Hotline. The reporting employee/volunteer has the option of remaining anonymous when using the Employee Reporting Hotline. Notification should be made preferably in writing. The complaint and related details should be specific and should include the names of the individuals involved as well as the names of any potential witnesses.

6.3 Reporting options:

• Reporting to HR Director
  • Email notifyHR@reliant.org
  • Call 407-490-0141
• Reporting via the Employee Reporting Hotline
  • Go to http://www.lighthouse-services.com/reliant
  • Call 844-544-1444
  • Email reports@lighthouse-services.com (indicate that report is for Reliant)
  • Fax: 215-689-3885 (indicate that the report is for Reliant)

6.4 RELIANT will fully investigate all complaints and will maintain appropriate confidentiality to the extent possible given RELIANT’s duty to investigate the complaint. Anyone who is found to have engaged in harassment or discrimination in violation of this policy will be subject to appropriate disciplinary action, up to and including termination of his or her employment or volunteer service. Any employee or volunteer may be disciplined for making a knowingly false complaint or for providing knowingly false information in the course of an investigation.

6.5 RELIANT will appropriately document all matters related to complaints of alleged unlawful harassment or discrimination, including meetings, interviews, results of investigations, and other actions attendant to the allegation. Following an investigation and the completion of appropriate corrective measures, management will advise the complaining party that a thorough investigation has been conducted and that appropriate corrective action (if warranted) has been taken by management.

7. Responsibility

7.1 All levels of supervision and management are responsible for: (a) assuring all employees and volunteers that unlawful harassment, discrimination, and retaliation are prohibited by RELIANT policy and that management will conduct an investigation of alleged incidents of unlawful harassment, discrimination, or retaliation, and take prompt and appropriate corrective action; and that such complaints, including all information and documents pertinent thereto, will be kept confidential to the extent possible given RELIANT’s duty to investigate the complaint; and (b) reporting all alleged incidents of unlawful harassment and/or discrimination to appropriate management. Any supervisor or manager who receives a complaint of harassment, discrimination, or retaliation, or who learns about any conduct that potentially violates this policy, is required to promptly forward that information to the HR Director and will be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including termination, for failing to timely report.

7.2 It is the responsibility of any employee or volunteer who is subjected to unlawful harassment, discrimination, or retaliation, or has observed such harassment, discrimination, or retaliation, to inform management of the facts and details, preferably in writing, regarding such harassment, discrimination, or retaliation so that appropriate corrective action may be taken. Any employee’s or volunteer’s failure to cooperate in the investigation of any complaint of unlawful harassment, discrimination, or retaliation, whether witnessed or experienced, may be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including termination.

7.3 RELIANT is strongly committed to maintaining a workplace free of unlawful harassment, discrimination, or retaliation. All complaints will be taken seriously. If you have questions, please contact the HR Director at notifyHR@reliant.org or 407-490-0141. 

8. Religious Exemptions

8.1 RELIANT is exempt from certain claims of unlawful employment practices because of its status as a religious organization and/or other type of entity recognized as being provided such an exemption by various federal state, and/or local laws. To the fullest extent permitted, RELIANT expressly claims any and all exemptions available to it under applicable laws regarding and/or related to unlawful employment practices. Exemptions claimed by RELIANT include, but are not limited to, those exemptions available to it under: (1) the First Amendment to the United States Constitution; (2) the Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1993, 42 U.S.C. §2000bb et seq.; (3) Section 702 of the federal Civil Rights Act of 1964, 42 U.S.C. § 2000e-1(a); (4) applicable state constitutional provisions regarding religious freedom; (5) applicable state statutes regarding religious freedom; (6) any successor provisions to any of the foregoing laws; and (7) any and all other applicable federal and state laws, county and local codes and ordinances. Nothing contained in this policy is intended to, nor should it be interpreted as, waiving any exemption(s) or defense(s) that RELIANT may have, claim, and/or be entitled to claim either now or in the future.