EQUAL OPPORTUNITY (EO) POLICY

 

            The Springfield, Virginia Youth Club, Inc. “The Club” does not discriminate against the Club’s employees (or applicants for employment), members of the Board of Directors, officers, members, coaches, trainers, league directors, volunteers, players, or referees and/or officials, based upon race, color, national origin, ancestry, creed, religion, age, disability or handicap, sex, marital status, family responsibilities, matriculation, personal appearance, sexual orientation, political affiliation or veteran’s status.

 

            With respect to employees, the Club will make any reasonable effort to ensure that all applicants for employment and employees will receive equal opportunity in personnel matters, including recruiting, selection, training, placement, promotion, wages and benefits, transfers, terminations and working conditions.

 

            The Club will make any reasonable effort to ensure that all coaches, volunteers, players and referees and/or officials will receive equal opportunity in all matters relating to the Club, including but not limited to: selection for coaching positions and coaching  assignments; volunteer utilization; placement and assignments; player placement on a team and selection for all star teams; training; playing/working locations (i.e. courts, fields etc.); and selection to serve as an official or referee. 

 

            Any violations of this policy, or any type of abuse (including but not limited to sexual molestation and sexual harassment) of a Club employee, director, officer, member, coach, trainer, league director, volunteer, player, and official and/or referee, must be reported immediately to Mr. Dennis Clausen (the President of the Club) or Ms. Debra Forcht (the Equal Opportunity officer for the Club).

 

SEXUAL AND OTHER UNLAWFUL HARASSMENT POLICY

 

            Harassment of Club employees (or applicants for employment), directors, officers, members, coaches, trainers, volunteers, players, and referees and/or officials on the basis of race, color, national origin, ancestry, creed, religion, age, disability or handicap, sex, marital status, family responsibilities, matriculation, including sexual harassment (all as defined and protected by applicable law) is unacceptable and will not be tolerated at or by the Club. 

 

Sexual Harassment

 

            Sexual harassment has been defined generally as including unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature, whenever:  (1) submission to the conduct is either an explicit or implicit term or condition of employment or service (including service as a volunteer) with the Club; (2) an employee's, director’s,  officer’s,  member’s, coach’s, trainer’s, league director’s, volunteer’s, player’s, and referee’s and/or official’s reaction to the conduct is used as a basis for employment, service (including service as a volunteer) or decisions affecting that person; or (3) the conduct has the purpose or effect of interfering with the employee's, director’s, officer’s, member’s, coach’s, trainer’s, league director’s, volunteer’s, player’s, and referee’s and/or official’s work performance or service to the Club, or creating an intimidating, hostile or offensive working environment.

 

            No Club employee (or applicant for employment), director, officer, member, coach, trainer, league director, volunteer, player, referee and/or official should be subjected to unsolicited and unwelcome sexual overtures, nor should any of the previously mentioned persons be led to believe that an employment opportunity, benefit or opportunity for service with the Club (including service as a volunteer) will in any way depend upon "cooperation" of a sexual nature.

 

            Sexual harassment is not limited to demands for sexual favors.  It also may include such actions as: (1) sex-oriented verbal "kidding," "teasing" or jokes; (2) repeated offensive sexual flirtations, advances, or propositions; (3) continued or repeated verbal abuse of a sexual nature; (4) graphic or degrading comments about an individual or his or her appearance; (5) the display of sexually suggestive objects or pictures; (6) subtle pressure for sexual activity; and (7) inappropriate physical contact.

 

            Sexual harassment does not refer to occasional compliments of a socially acceptable nature, or consensual personal and social relationships without a discriminatory employment effect.  It refers to behavior that is not welcome and that is personally intimidating, hostile, or offensive.

 

Other Unlawful Harassment

 

            Harassment on other grounds, including race, color, national origin, ancestry, creed, religion, age, disability or handicap, marital status, family responsibilities, matriculation, personal appearance, sexual orientation, political affiliation or veteran’s status also is prohibited.  Harassment includes jokes, verbal abuse and epithets, degrading comments, the display of offensive objects and pictures, and other conduct that the individual might reasonably find to be offensive.

 

Scope of Policy

 

            This policy prohibiting harassment, whether sexual or of another nature, is not limited to relationships between and among Club employees and prospective employees, directors,  officers, members, coaches, trainers, volunteers, players, and referees and/or officials, but also extends to interaction with contractors, vendors or other members of the Club (and their families).  No Club employee, director, officer, member, coach, trainer, league director, volunteer, player, and referee and/or official shall ever subject any contractor, vendor, or other member of the Club (to include the member’s family) to sexual harassment, or any type of  prohibited harassment of any nature, including the conduct described above.  Furthermore, no Club employee, director, officer, member, coach, trainer, league director, volunteer, player, and referee and/or official will be required to suffer sexual harassment, or any other type of prohibited harassment as described in this EO Policy, by any contractor, vendor, or other member of the Club (including the family of the member).  Any unwelcome sexual overtures or other forms of sexual harassment, or any other type of prohibited conduct (or harassment), should be reported immediately to the Club’s President (Mr. Dennis Clausen) or the Equal Opportunity Officer (Ms. Debra Forcht).

 

Complaint Procedure

 

            The Club encourages reporting of all incidents of sexual or other prohibited harassment, regardless of the identity of the offender.  While the Club encourages individuals who believe they are being harassed to firmly and promptly notify the offender that his or her behavior is unwelcome, the Club also recognizes that power and status disparities between the offender and the recipient of the offensive conduct may make such a confrontation impossible.  Consequently, such direct communication is not a requirement or prerequisite to filing a complaint.

 

            Any Club employee (or applicant for employment), director, officer, member, coach, trainer, league director, volunteer, player, and referee and/or official who believes that he or she is or has been the victim of illegal discrimination or harassment in violation of this policy should immediately notify the President (Mr. Dennis Clausen) or the Equal Opportunity Officer (Ms. Debra Forcht) of the Club. The Club will fully investigate all complaints, and will maintain confidentiality to the extent possible given the Club's duty to investigate the complaint.  Anyone who is found to have engaged in illegal discrimination or harassment will be subject to appropriate disciplinary action depending on the circumstances, including possible termination of employment, and/or expulsion from the Club.  

 

            No person affiliated with the Club, including but not limited to an employee,

 director, officer, league director, coach, trainer, volunteer or player, will be retaliated

against for making a complaint or assisting with the investigation of a complaint.

 

            The Club is strongly committed to maintaining a workplace free of impermissible harassment or intimidation, including sexual harassment.  All complaints will be taken seriously. If you have questions regarding the Club’s policy prohibiting harassment, please speak to Mr. Dennis Clausen, the President of the Club, or Ms. Debra Forcht, the Equal Opportunity Officer for the Club.

 

 

Approved by the Board of Directors.