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Office of Equal Opportunity & Civil Rights |
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Topics
Alternative Dispute Resolution Disability & Reasonable Accommodation |
Sexual Harassment
Sexual harassment is a form of sex discrimination prohibited by Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended. It involves unwanted and unwelcome sexual advances, request for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature when:
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They are made explicitly or implicitly a condition of an individual's employment; or
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Employment decisions (promotions, work assignments, etc.) are based on whether the victim submits to or rejects the sexual advances; or
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They unreasonably interfere with an individual's work performance or create an intimidating, hostile, or offensive work environment.
The Agency's policy concerning sexual harassment commits to maintaining a high standard of conduct in the work place and to providing a work environment free from sexually harassing, offensive or inappropriate activity. Such activities are adverse to the overall accomplishment of our mission and the efficient operation of the Federal service. Accordingly, all CMS employees are responsible for maintaining a high standard of conduct in the workplace and must refrain from engaging in harassing, offensive or inappropriate activities.
Moreover, the Agency has a zero tolerance for any conduct of a sexual nature that could reasonably be interpreted as harassing, offensive or inappropriate in the work place. In addition to the Title VII standard cited above, any physical contact, comments, jokes, gestures, written documents, pictorials, images or other items or behavior of a sexual nature in a work or work-related environment constitutes harassing, offensive and inappropriate conduct and will not be tolerated.
Each CMS employee bears the legal and ethical responsibility to refrain from such unacceptable conduct in the work place. Managers and supervisors bear the additional responsibility for taking immediate and appropriate corrective action to enforce the Agency's policy when they become aware of sexually harassing, offensive or inappropriate activities.
If you believe you have been subjected to sexual harassment, offensive or inappropriate conduct of a sexual nature you should immediately report this to a supervisor or manager for corrective action. If your supervisor is the source of the harassment, offensive or inappropriate action, you should speak to the next highest level of management. If the supervisor/manager does not take immediate action to stop the harassing, offensive or inappropriate activity, you should bring the matter to the attention of the Office of Equal Opportunity and Civil Rights immediately
(410-786-5110). You are free to report any incidents involving sexual harassment, offensive or inappropriate conduct without fear of reprisal.
