Lurking in the shadows - Management - includes related articles on workplace bullying

HR Magazine,  Oct, 1999  by Rudy M. Yandrick

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RELATED ARTICLE: Oregon Department of Transportation Antiharassment Policy

PURPOSE

To reaffirm the department's policy prohibiting all workplace harassment; to clarify conduct that constitutes workplace harassment; and to provide an effective complaint procedure for employees who believe they have been victims of such conduct.

POLICY

It is the policy of the Oregon Department of Transportation that all employees, customers, contractors and visitors to the worksite enjoy a positive, respectful and productive work environment, free from behavior, actions or language constituting workplace harassment.

Engaging in workplace harassment is unacceptable conduct which will not be tolerated. Any employee found to have engaged in workplace harassment will be subject to disciplinary action up to and including dismissal. Managers and supervisors who know or should have known of workplace harassment and fail to report such behavior, or fail to take immediate, appropriate, corrective action, will be subject to disciplinary action up to and including dismissal.

GUIDELINES

1. Workplace harassment is a form of offensive treatment or behavior, which to a reasonable person creates an intimidating, hostile or abusive work environment. It may be sexual, racial, based on national origin, age, disability, religion or a person's sexual orientation. It may also encompass other forms of hostile, intimidating, threatening, humiliating or violent behavior, which are not necessarily illegal discrimination, but are nonetheless prohibited by this policy.

2. It is misconduct for an employee to direct the subject behavior at another employee of whatever stature, or to customers, contractors or visitors to the work site.

3. It is misconduct for managers or supervisors who know or should have known of workplace harassment to fail to report such behavior, or to fail to take immediate, appropriate, corrective action.

4. Sexual harassment is defined as unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors and other verbal or physical behavior of a sexual nature when:

* submission to such conduct is made either explicitly or implicitly a term of condition of an individual's employment or is used as a basis for any employment decision (granting leave request, promotion, favorable performance appraisal, etc.); or

* such conduct is unwelcome and has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with an individual's work performance or creating an intimidating, hostile or offensive working environment.

5. Illegal harassment may consist of verbal or physical behavior which relates to an individual's race, color, national origin, religion, age and/or disability when 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.

6. Workplace harassment can also be verbal or physical behavior which is derogatory, abusive, disparaging, "bullying," threatening or disrespectful, even if unrelated to a legally protected status.