SkillsUSA | Advisor Guide 67 advances, requests for sexual favors, and verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature when: • Submission to or rejection of such advances, requests, or conduct is made either explicitly or implicitly as a term or condition of employment, academic standing, SkillsUSA-related opportunities, provision of services, or as a basis for employment decisions. • Such advances, requests, or conduct have the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with an individual’s academic or work performance by creating an intimidating, hostile, humiliating, or sexually offensive work or educational environment. While it is not possible to list all circumstances that may be considered sexual harassment, the following are examples of conduct that violate the law and policy and which, if severe and pervasive, constitute sexual harassment. In each case, such a determination will depend upon the totality of the circumstances, including the severity of the conduct and its pervasiveness. Sexual harassment includes, but is not limited to: • Unwelcome sexual advances, whether they involve physical touching or not. • Unwelcome leering, whistling, brushing against the body, sexual gestures, suggestive or insulting comments. • Sexual epithets, jokes, written or verbal references to sexual conduct, comments about an individual’s body, comments about an individual’s sexual activity, deficiencies, or prowess. • Discussions of one’s own sexual activities or inquiries into others’ sexual experiences. • Displaying sexually suggestive objects, pictures, cartoons. The definitions of discrimination, harassment and sexual harassment are broad. In addition to the above examples, other unwelcome conduct, whether intended or not, that has the effect of creating a SkillsUSA environment that is hostile, offensive, intimidating, or humiliating may constitute discrimination, harassment and/or sexual harassment. Please note that sexual harassment can occur adult to student, student to adult, student to student, male to female, female to male, female to female and male to male. III. GRIEVANCE PROCEDURE: REPORTING COMPLAINTS OF DISCRIMINATION AND HARASSMENT A. Introduction If any SKILLSUSA student, parent, volunteer, or employee believes, in good faith, that he or she has been subjected to sexual harassment or any other form of harassment or discrimination described above, the individual has a right to file a complaint with SKILLSUSA. This may be done informally or formally, as described below. Volunteers, Advisors or other staff members who observe or receive reports of incidents of harassment or discrimination involving Members shall report such incidents immediately to a SkillsUSA staff member. Staff members aware of harassment or discrimination involving any employee shall report such incidents to the Executive Director or to the President of the Board of Directors. Please note that while these procedures relate to SKILLSUSA’s policy of promoting an organization that is free from discrimination and harassment, including sexual harassment, as detailed further in this policy, these procedures are not designed nor intended to limit SKILLSUSA’s authority to discipline or take remedial action for conduct which SKILLSUSA deems unacceptable. B. Grievance Procedures I. ORGANIZATION CONTACT: SkillsUSA Massachusetts Executive Director is: Karen Ward SkillsUSA Massachusetts 501 Paramount Drive Raynham, MA 02767 Telephone: (508) 738-2474 E-Mail: [email protected] Members, parents, volunteers, or employees who wish to