Anti-Harassment and Anti-Discrimination Policies

• Reiterate the University’s dedication to offering a harassment-free, caring, and supportive workplace.
• Educate all University community members about appropriate and inappropriate behavior.
• Provide victims of harassment, including sexual harassment, with information about their rights and options.
• Educate all University community members about the University’s procedures for handling, looking into, and resolving harassment complaints.
• Protect the rights and confidentiality of all parties involved in harassment complaints to the greatest extent possible.

This policy also forbids acts or statements directed towards people or groups on the basis of race, national origin or ancestry, religion, gender, sexual orientation, age, disability, marital status, position as a military or veteran, gender identity, or genetic testing or information. If the behaviour is accepted and promoted, harassment might not exist. Corrective action could be necessary even if the behaviour doesn’t qualify as harassment or discrimination.

Sexual harassment is a form of behavior that adversely affects the employment relationship and is prohibited by State and Federal law. The University condemns and prohibits sexual harassment by any employee or student. Sexual harassment does not refer to voluntary social activities among employees. Instead, it refers to behavior that is not welcomed by the employee, which is purely offensive to them, and which undermines morale and /or interferes with the ability of the employee to work effectively. It is, therefore, against the policies of the University for any employee, male or female, to harass another employee sexually, that is, by making unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, or other uninvited verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature.

Consensual relationships between students and faculty, staff, and coworkers are severely discouraged at Sulaimani Polytechnic University. If these relationships don’t work out, there may be accusations of sexual harassment, excessive socializing, preferential treatment, delayed productivity, breaches of confidentiality, and bickering at work. Sulaimani Polytechnic University has a policy against supervisor/supervisee consensual relationships, although not forbid such relationships between students and faculty, staff, or coworkers. Intimate or sexual relationships between academic or staff members and students are forbidden by the university for several reasons, including the high risk of sexual harassment.

As an illustration, take into account students who are currently enrolled in a class taught by a faculty member or who work in any capacity for a professor or staff person. Due to the fact that the power differential between students and faculty or staff in these situations complicates the consent issue and may give the impression of improper behavior.

If someone feels that they have been harassed, their first line of action should be to tell the harasser—alone or in the company of another employee, or another student if the student is employed by the university—that their behaviour is unacceptable, offensive, against this policy, and that it needs to stop. This might resolve the issue, in which case no other action will typically be required. Employees who see improper, harassing, or discriminatory behaviour towards another employee that they feel violates this policy are required to notify the Director of Human Resources right away. When an employee reports a suspected breach of this policy in good faith, they won’t face any negative consequences or harassment , reprisal or unfavourable employment outcomes from the University or other staff members. Retaliation against an employee who in good faith reports a suspected infraction is punishable by discipline up to and including termination. In the event that the individual who feels they have been the target of harassment chooses to make a formal complaint, they can do so verbally or in writing.

The University will swiftly and fairly investigate the accusation of harassment as soon as it receives the complaint. Confidentiality shall be preserved throughout the investigation to the greatest degree feasible given the circumstances. Notification that an investigation is being launched will be sent to the President and/or the Vice President of the division. We will interview the complainant and the witnesses in privacy as part of our inquiry. We’ll make an effort to speak with the person who is said to have caused the harassment. Not everyone who needs to know will be made aware that an investigation is underway. The University will ultimately decide whether or not the complaint has substance after the investigation is complete.

In the event that the investigation confirms the claims in the complaint, the university will take early steps to try to stop the offending behaviour and, if necessary, will apply the appropriate disciplinary punishment. Such action may involve disciplinary measures that are judged suitable in the given situation and may vary from counselling to termination. The University shall provide full cooperation to local law authorities in the event that a complaint or investigation’s findings necessitate such communication, and the President will be informed.

Every attempt has been made to ensure that the methods outlined herein and this policy are in line with the policy for students. A student may report an incident to the department head if they believe they have been the target of harassment.