HARASSMENT POLICY
Genuine Joy Counseling is committed to providing an environment that is free from harassment. Any behavior that is unwanted and offensive to the recipient, which creates an intimidating, hostile, or humiliating environment for any individual violates this policy. Harassment can occur between members of the opposite sex or the same sex. Harassment, verbal or non-verbal, explicit or implicit, based on an individual’s race, creed, religion, color, age, disability, pregnancy, marital status, parental status, veteran status, military status, domestic violence victim status, national origin, political affiliation, sex, actual or perceived sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, predisposing genetic characteristics, and any other status protected by law will not be tolerated. Additional acts of harassment for our LGBTQ clients include intentional failure to use the clients preferred name or affirmed gender pronoun, questioning the client’s physical appearance and disclosing a client’s status as transgender or non-conforming or physical intimidation. All employees, managers, stakeholders, volunteers, clients, and agents are required to abide by this policy.
REPORTING AN INCIDENT PROCEDURE:
If a client feels that he/she/they have been discriminated against or harassed against as described in this policy, they should immediately report the matter through any verbal or written means to the staff member working with the client. If it’s a staff member causing the incident, the client will report the incident immediately to the Clinical Supervisor. Once the matter has been reported it will be promptly investigated within 7 calendar days by the proper party i.e. staff member, supervisor, program manager and any corrective action will be taken when deemed appropriate. If the issue cannot be resolved at the program level, the client can request a meeting with the CEO. All complaints or unlawful discrimination under this policy will be handled in as confidential a manner as possible. At Genuine Joy Counseling it is our goal to mediate and resolve conflict between clients or between staff and clients in a way that is respectful, fair and equitable. Timely reporting is encouraged to prevent the re-occurrence of, or otherwise address, behavior that violates this policy or law. Retaliation against any person associated with a complaint, whether directly or indirectly, is in violation of this policy. All reported incidents are assumed to be made in good faith. Any allegations that are proven false will be treated as a serious matter.
At any time, if a client believes that they have experienced discrimination on the basis of actual or perceived race, color, religion, national origin, sex, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, or disability by the organization, the client may file a complaint with the Office of Civil Rights or the Department of Law and Public Safety at the addresses below: