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1. Read the updated Workplace Harassment and Discrimination policy.
   
   
2. Complete the appropriate Sexual Harassment Prevention course for your staff level. You'll receive an email invite from Telios Teaches.
   
   
3. Read the new Child and Vulnerable Adult Safety policy.
   
   
4. Complete the appropriate Abuse Awareness course(s) - one course for all staff and an additional course for supervisors or leaders. You'll receive two email invitations, one for each course, titled "Here is your link to the Child Abuse Awareness Training" with links to MinistrySafe.

Why are we doing this? 

Because Reliant is committed to upholding the highest standards of behavior, we take great care in creating policies and procedures that support a healthy and ethical culture. These specific policies are in place to ensure the safety of those doing ministry as well as those being ministered to. We believe the updates to the policy on sexual harassment (now called Workplace Harassment and Discrimination Policy) and our new Child and Vulnerable Adult Safety policy are extremely important additions to achieve these goals. Please take the time to familiarize yourself with all the new elements. 

Which course do I take?  And how long will it take? 

• From the two options, which Sexual Harassment Prevention Course you complete is dependent on your supervisory or staff level (see explanations below): 
  1. Sexual Harassment Prevention for Employees (length: 1.5 hours): Take this course if you do not have anyone reporting to you OR are not at a staff level of Pastor, Minister, Manager, or Director.
  2. Sexual Harassment Prevention for Managers (length: 2 hours): Take this course if you supervise other Reliant staff OR are at a staff level of Pastor, Minister, Manager, or Director. If you supervise volunteers or have other supervisory responsibilities and would like to take this course, go for it! The Managers course includes the same content as the one for employees plus about 30 minutes of additional material for supervisors.
     
     

• All employees must take the first Abuse Awareness Course, taking the second course is dependent on your supervisory or staff level: 
  1. Abuse Awareness (length: 1.5 hours): Take this course if you're a Reliant employee or Associate. 
  2. Skillful Screening (length: 2.25 hours): Take this course in addition to the Abuse Awareness course, if you supervise other Reliant staff OR are at a staff level of Pastor, Minister, Manager, or Director. If you are involved in interviews or the hiring process for staff or volunteers, this course is optional but recommended for you. Use your discernment or talk to your supervisor on if this course is right for you. 

Here's more detailed information about the Required Education Courses.

What's the deadline? 

You'll begin receiving communication to your Reliant email address the week of June 8. And you will have until August 7, 2020 to complete the four steps listed in the yellow box above. We challenge you to complete these steps sooner, rather than later. It's at least four hours worth of work.

What if I can't complete the courses by August 7th? 

You may send an exception request to Julie Thomas, HR Compliance Officer, at julie.thomas@reliant.org with your reason for the exception. Please copy your supervisor and Program Team Lead on the email.

I completed the courses as a part of my New Staff Training with Reliant. Do I need take them again?

All Reliant Staff that attended New Staff Training (NST) as of May 2020 were required to complete the courses within 30 days of NST. If you attended NST since May 2020 and completed the course, you do not need to take them as part of the Annual Requirements for existing staff.

Some Reliant Staff that are part of the Fixed Term program completed the Abuse Awareness training when they were hired. If you are a resident or intern and completed that training since January 2020, you do not need to complete that course as part of the Annual Requirements for existing staff. You will still need to complete the Sexual Harassment Prevention course.

If you have taken courses on the topic of Sexual Harassment Prevention or Child Abuse Awareness in the last 12 months, you may request an exception. Email the following to Julie Thomas, HR Compliance Officer, as soon as possible:

1. Name of the course
2. Vendor/creator/author of course content
3. Length of training
4. Date you completed course
5. Short description of course
6. Proof of completion (if available)

The exception is not guaranteed, and you may still be required to complete the course.

If you are not a supervisor or leader and took the Manager-level course, that's okay. You don't need to take the Employee version as all the content in the Manager-level course is in the Employee-level one.

If you are a supervisor or leader and took the Employee-level training, you will need to take a few additional courses. See below for instructions on how to do that:

Return to the Telios site and launch the Manager-level training. 

Many of the “chapters” are the same, with some additional content in the Manager Level. So when you start the Manager-level course, and you begin a chapter that was in the Employer Level, you can just click the “Complete and Continue” button at the bottom to advance to the next chapter.

Highlighted in blue below are the additional Manager-level chapters so that you can see the chapters that you need to still view. Just don’t forget to take the quiz at the end of the Manager-level course to get full credit!

Manager-level Content:

• Ch. 1 Do Religious Organizations Need to Worry?
• Ch. 2 Theology and the Secular Law
• Ch. 3 Risks to Religious Organizations
• Ch. 4 How Laws Apply to Religious Organizations
• Ch. 5 The Definition of Sexual Harassment
• Ch. 6 Organizational Policy & Procedure
• Ch. 7 Policies and Reporting Mechanisms
• Ch. 8 Investigation & Discipline
• Ch. 9 Processing Compliants & Safety Plans
• Ch. 10 Preparing for Investigation
• Ch. 11 Internal Investigation Process
• Ch. 12 Considerations When Dealing with Sexual Harassment
• Supplement: Multicultural Work Places
• Vignettes that cover actual situations

Sexual Harassment Prevention for Employees

• Ch. 1 Do Religious Organizations Need to Worry?
• Ch. 2 Theology and the Secular Law
• Ch. 3 The Definition of Sexual Harassment
• Ch. 4 Organizational Policy & Procedure
• Ch. 5 Investigation & Discipline
• Vignettes that cover actual situations

Sexual Harassment Prevention for Managers (additional content is highlighted in blue)

• Ch. 1 Do Religious Organizations Need to Worry?
• Ch. 2 Theology and the Secular Law
• Ch. 3 Risks to Religious Organizations
• Ch. 4 How Laws Apply to Religious Organizations
• Ch. 5 The Definition of Sexual Harassment
• Ch. 6 Organizational Policy & Procedure
• Ch. 7 Policies and Reporting Mechanisms
• Ch. 8 Investigation & Discipline
• Ch. 9 Processing Compliants & Safety Plans
• Ch. 10 Preparing for Investigation
• Ch. 11 Internal Investigation Process
• Ch. 12 Considerations When Dealing with Sexual Harassment
• Supplement: Multicultural Work Places
• Vignettes that cover actual situations

Telios Teaches (Sexual Harassment Prevention):

• Click the "Forgot Password" link to receive instructions on resetting your password and a link to the site.

MinistrySafe (Child Abuse Prevention):

• Email your Missionary Liaison (Kathy Zellinger, Bethany Orys, or Carly Erskine)