Human Resources Policies

POLICY: Harassment
Policy Number: HR-3
Effective Date: October 1, 2003
Revisions: June 1, 2007
Responsible Officer: Associate Dean, Planning and Operations

I. POLICY:

Drexel University College of Medicine hereby affirms its desire to maintain a work environment for all faculty, staff and patients, and an academic environment for all faculty and students that is free from all forms of illegal harassment. Harassment is completely incompatible with the values and goals of Drexel University College of Medicine and will not be tolerated.

Harassment based upon race, color, religion, creed, sex, national origin, age, disability or veteran status is a form of discrimination in violation of federal and state law.  In accord with City of Philadelphia ordinance, the University prohibits harassment on the basis of sexual orientation.  All forms of harassment are violations of Drexel University College of Medicine policy and will not be tolerated.

This policy also reflects the College’s commitment to educate and counsel all members of the College community about the nature of sexual harassment, its impact on individuals and the College as a whole, and the steps necessary to prevent it.

Retaliation against any person complaining of unlawful harassment is in violation of federal and state law and Drexel University College of Medicine policy, and will not be tolerated.

Drexel University College of Medicine will respond promptly to all complaints of harassment and retaliation. Violation of this policy can result in serious disciplinary action up to and including expulsion for students (please see the Student Handbook) or discharge for staff and faculty as outlined in the Corrective Action Policy and the Drexel University College of Medicine Faculty Handbook or termination of contracts for independent contractors and providers of goods and services.

Management and supervisory personnel are responsible for taking reasonable and necessary action to prevent all forms of harassment.  All members of the College community –faculty, staff, and students – are required to report promptly any and all conduct which might be in violation of this policy. 

The College will:  respond to all complaints of harassment pursuant to the published Discrimination and Harassment Complaint Resolution Procedures; take action to provide remedies when harassment is discovered; impose appropriate sanctions upon individuals who have been found to be in violation of the College’s policy; and protect the privacy of those involved in harassment complaints, to the extent possible.  The above actions will apply to the extent permitted by law.

II. ELIGIBILITY:

This policy applies to faculty, staff, students, volunteers, patients, and all other persons on the premises subject to College control, including medical residents and contractors and to those engaged to further the interest of the College. 

III. DEFINITIONS:

A. Harassment is unwelcome conduct, based upon race, color, religion, creed, sex, national origin, age, disability, or sexual orientation, that is either a condition of working or learning (quid pro quo) or creates a hostile environment.

1. Quid Pro Quo Harassment consists of unwelcome conduct when:

a) submission to such conduct is made either explicitly or implicitly a term or condition of an individual's employment, employment decisions, academic advancement or receipt of a needed or legitimately requested College service, or

b) submission to, or rejection of, such conduct by an individual is used as the basis for decisions affecting such individual in matters of employment, employment decisions, academic advancement or receipt of a needed or legitimately requested College service.

2. Hostile Environment Harassment is unwelcome harassing behavior toward another employee or student that is sufficiently severe or pervasive as to alter the conditions of the victim’s employment or academic pursuits and to create a work or educational environment that a reasonable person would find abusive.  Isolated instances, such as a sexual overture, comment or joke, ordinarily will not constitute illegal harassment and/or a violation of the College’s standards of conduct. 

In determining whether an action constitutes illegal harassment, the totality of circumstances will be carefully reviewed and due consideration will be given to the protection of individual rights. 

Hostile Environment Harassment consists of unwelcome conduct when:

a) such conduct has the effect of unreasonably interfering with an individual’s work or academic performance, or

b) such conduct has the effect of creating an intimidating, hostile or offensive working or learning environment

B. Retaliation is conduct causing any interference, coercion, restraint or reprisal against a person complaining of harassment or participating in the resolution of a complaint of harassment.

IV. EDUCATION

Education is important to the establishment of a campus environment that is free from sexual harassment.  Education will offer the members of the College community:

a) the assurance that they are aware of their rights and
      responsibilities in the College community

b) the definition of unacceptable behavior; and

c)   information about the available mechanisms to address complaints of violations of this policy.

Preventing Sexual Harassment training is mandatory for all faculty and staff and must be completed on an annual basis.  Newly hired individuals are required to complete this training within the Introductory Period. 

Failure to complete this training will result in the loss of a merit increase or a decrease in a staff member’s salary; the denial of funding and leave time for CME training and other academic conferences for a faculty member; or other financial sanctions.  Continued non-compliance can lead to other disciplinary actions up to and including termination.   It will also negate the College’s responsibility to indemnify or defend the faculty or staff member from any claims arising out of or relating to the charge of illegal harassment.

V. VIOLATIONS OF POLICY

Any individual with a concern, grievance or complaint of illegal harassment or retaliation under this policy should utilize the procedures outlined in HR Policy 4 – Discrimination or Harassment Complaint Resolution Procedure. 

           
Any violation of this policy may carry sanctions that can be found under the Corrective Action Policy for staff employees, the Drexel University College of Medicine Faculty Handbook or the Student Handbook.

Questions about this policy should be directed to the Associate Dean, Planning and Operations.

VI. FALSE ACCUSATIONS

Anyone who knowingly makes a false accusation of discrimination/ harassment will be subject to appropriate sanctions, which may include but are not limited to written warning, demotion, transfer, suspension, dismissal, expulsion, or termination.