EFFECTIVE: March 1, 2007
The Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation
("DLLR") is committed to creating a workplace void of
all unlawful discrimination and which more specifically is free
from harassment or intimidation based upon sex.
Harassment on the basis of sex is a violation of Title VII of
the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended, Article 49B of the
Annotated Code of Maryland, the Governor’s Code of Fair
Employment Practices, and Sections 2-302 and 2-305 of the State
Personnel and Pensions Article.
This policy applies uniformly to all departmental employees,
programs and activities. It prohibits any form of unwanted or
unwelcome advances of a sexual nature by supervisors, co-workers,
beneficiaries and other clients. This policy
also prohibits granting preferences or denying of
opportunities or benefits because of an individual’s
submission to or rejection of these sexual advances. This
policy also prohibits any conduct that creates a hostile or intimidating work environment.
Examples of conduct that may constitute sexual harassment
and therefore are prohibited by this policy include, but are not limited to:
- Unwelcome, unwanted, unsolicited verbal or written propositions.
- Obscene or suggestive remarks, gestures or jokes of a sexual nature, or about gender-specific traits.
- Unwelcome and intentional physical behavior such as kissing, hugging, pinching or brushing up against another
individual.
- Displaying or circulating photographs or other materials and objects that are sexually suggestive or that
demean or display hostility toward an individual because of that individual’s gender.
- Any other unlawful verbal, non-verbal or physical advances and/or harassments.
(All of the above also apply to text, audio and electronic communications such as telephone
calls, voice mail messages and emails.
Any DLLR employee, applicant for employment, or beneficiary
or other client who feels that she or he is a victim (either directly or
indirectly) of sexual harassment should immediately advise her
or his supervisor, the Equal Opportunity Designee/Liaison or the
DLLR Office of Fair Practices (OFP) and may file
a complaint of discrimination alleging sexual harassment.
Complaints will be taken very seriously. They will be
investigated immediately and handled as confidentially as
possible. The Department’s procedure
for investigating complaints alleging sexual harassment may be
found on the OFP web page and on the
DLLR Intranet on the Policies and Forms page. Copies may also be obtained from
the Department’s Office of Fair Practices.
Swift and appropriate disciplinary actions,
up to, and including, termination, will be taken against any
DLLR employee found to have sexually harassed any other DLLR
employee, applicant for employment or beneficiary of DLLR
services. As with other complaints of alleged discrimination,
retaliation against or interference with individuals filing a
complaint or participating in an investigation is also strictly prohibited.
Please refer questions related to this Policy to the: DLLR
Office of Fair Practices at 1100 North
Eutaw Street, Room 214, Baltimore, Maryland 21201, Telephone (410)
230-6319; TTY: (410) 225-7039, e-mail oeope@dllr.state.md.us.
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