Equal Employment Opportunity, Harassment & Retaliation Policy
Chan Zuckerberg Initiative LLC, Biohub, and Learning Commons (collectively, the “Organization”) is committed to creating and maintaining a workplace in which everyone has an opportunity to participate and contribute to the success of the organization and are valued for their skills, experience, and unique perspectives. This commitment is embodied in the Organization’s policies and the way we work. This policy explains some of the legal elements of creating a workspace free of discrimination, harassment, and retaliation.
This policy applies to all our employees and partners, including our grantees, vendors and contractors. In other words, we expect employees to ensure that our partners are not being discriminated against or harassed by any Organization personnel, and we prohibit them from harassing or discriminating against our employees.
Equal Employment Opportunity
The Organization is committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants. The Organization does not make personnel decisions based on an individual’s race (including, but not limited to, hair texture and protective hairstyles such as braids, locks, and twists), color, religion, religious creed (including religious dress and grooming practices), national origin, ancestry, alienage or citizenship status, physical or mental disability, medical condition (including cancer and genetic characteristics), genetic information, marital or partnership status, familial status, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, or related medical conditions), reproductive health decision-making, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, veteran and/or military status, protected medical leaves (including under the Family and Medical Leave Act and applicable state law), arrest record, domestic violence victim status, political affiliation, or any other characteristic or intersection/combination of characteristics protected by applicable state, federal or local law (collectively the “Protected Characteristics”). This policy also prohibits unlawful discrimination based on the perception that anyone has a Protected Characteristic or is associated with a person who has or is perceived as having a Protected Characteristic.
This policy extends to all aspects of our employment practices, including but not limited to hiring, discipline, firing, promoting, transferring, compensation, benefits, training, leaves of absence, and other terms and conditions of employment.
The Organization is also committed to complying with the laws protecting qualified individuals with disabilities or facing limitations due to pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, as well as employees’ religious beliefs and observances. The Organization will provide a reasonable accommodation for any known physical or mental disability of a qualified individual with a disability, any known limitations of a qualified individual due to pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, and/or employees’ religious beliefs and observances to the extent required by law, provided the requested accommodation does not create an undue hardship for the Organization. Any applicant who requires an accommodation should contact their recruiter, any employee who requires an accommodation please see our Reasonable Accommodation Policy.
Harassment
The Organization expects its employees and partners to show respect for each other and those with whom they work. Professional conduct furthers the Organization’s mission and promotes productivity and collaboration. Accordingly, this policy forbids any unwelcome conduct that is based on an individual’s Protected Characteristic described above.
Harassment as used in this policy refers to behavior that is personally offensive, intimidating, or hostile, or interferes with work performance, regardless of whether it rises to the level of violating the law. In other words, this policy is stricter than the law, in that this policy defines prohibited harassment more broadly than does the law.
Examples of Harassment. Harassment may take many forms, including the following conduct when based on a Protected Characteristic:
- Verbal. Epithets; derogatory comments, slurs, or name-calling; inappropriate jokes, emails or any other form of written communication, comments, noises, or remarks; repeated requests for dates, threats, propositions, unwelcome and unwanted correspondence, phone calls, and gifts; or other unwelcome attention.
- Physical. Assault; impeding or blocking movement; physical interference with normal work or movement; unwanted and unwarranted physical contact, such as touching, pinching, patting, grabbing, brushing against, or poking another employee’s body.
- Visual. Abusive or patently offensive images (whether in photographs, posters, cartoons, drawings, paintings or other forms of imagery); displaying abusive or patently offensive images, writings or objects; ogling, staring at or directing attention to an employee’s anatomy; leering; sexually oriented or suggestive gestures.
- Cyberstalking. Harassment using electronic communication, such as e-mail or instant messaging (IM), or messages posted to a website, blog, or discussion group.
Examples of Sexual Harassment. Sexual harassment includes, but is not limited to, making unwanted sexual advances and requests for sexual favors where:
- Submission to such conduct or communication is either explicitly or implicitly made a term or condition of an individual’s employment; or
- Submission to or rejection of such conduct or communication by an individual is used as a basis for employment decisions affecting such individual; or
- Such conduct or communication has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with an individual’s work performance or creates and/or perpetuates an intimidating, hostile, or offensive work environment.
- As defined by law, sexual harassment can also take the form of other unwelcome conduct or communication that has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with an individual’s work performance or creates and/or perpetuates an intimidating, hostile, or offensive work environment. Such other conduct or communication may take the form of verbal abuse of a sexual nature, unwanted touching, leering, sexual gestures, a display of sexually suggestive objects or images, sexually explicit or offensive jokes, stories, cartoons, nicknames, slurs, epithets, and other communications of a sexual nature.
Harassment can occur in one-on-one interactions or in group settings and can involve a co- worker or manager, or can involve partners such as a grantee, vendor, or contractor. Harassment can also occur in the context of a relationship that was once consensual but has changed so that the behavior is no longer welcome by one party. It is impossible to specify every action or all words that could be interpreted as harassment. The examples listed above are not meant to be a complete list of objectionable behavior.
Make a point of paying attention to others’ reactions and stated requests and preferences, respecting their wishes, and treating them in a professional manner, regardless of gender, race, religion, nationality, age, sexual orientation, sexual identity or expression, or other Protected Characteristics.
Reporting and Investigating Discrimination & Harassment
Employees that feel that they have been discriminated against or harassed because of their protected status, have been improperly denied a reasonable accommodation, have experienced retaliation, or have witnessed, been subjected to, or are aware of conduct that is otherwise inconsistent with this policy, should immediately contact (verbally or in writing) their manager, People Business Partner, or by completing a form via the Ethics Hotline (which may be anonymous). You may also make reports using the Organization’s complaint form. Supervisors or managers who receive any complaint of harassment, discrimination or retaliation are required to promptly report such complaint to their People Business Partner or the Ethics Hotline. Partners should reach out to the Ethics Hotline.
All claims will be investigated in a timely, objective and thorough manner by an impartial and qualified person. Upon conclusion of such investigation, appropriate corrective action will be taken where warranted.
The investigation will be documented and tracked to ensure reasonable progress. The Organization expects full cooperation in any investigation, and prohibits any hindering of internal investigations and the internal complaint procedure. All complaints of harassment will be treated with as much confidentiality as possible, consistent with the need to conduct an adequate investigation.
Violation of this policy will subject an employee to disciplinary action, up to and including immediate termination. Offenders may also be personally liable. Moreover, any employee, supervisor or manager who condones or ignores potential violations of this policy will be subject to appropriate disciplinary action, up to and including termination. For non-Organization employees, inappropriate behavior may be reported to their organization.
In addition to the Organization’s internal complaint procedure, employees should also be aware that the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (“EEOC”) and the applicable state agencies investigate and prosecute complaints of harassment, discrimination, and retaliation in employment. These agencies enforce protections granted under applicable federal, state, and local law, which may avail employees of remedies for violations thereof. Employees may contact these agencies directly. For ease of reference and in accordance with applicable local law, information regarding the following agencies is provided.
- Federal: Information about the EEOC complaint procedure can be found on its website (eeoc.gov), or by calling 1-800-669-4000 (English) or 1-800-669-6820 (TTY).
- California: Information about the California Civil Rights Division can be found on its website (calcivilrights.ca.gov), or by calling 1-800-884-1684 (English), or 1-800-700-2320 (TTY).
- Illinois: Information about the Illinois Department of Human Rights (IDHR) can be found on its website (https://dhr.illinois.gov/), or by calling 312-814-6200 or 800-662-3942 or IDHR.Intake@illinois.gov. Employees may also contact the Illinois Human Rights Commission (IHRC) at 312-814-6269 or the Illinois Sexual Harassment and Discrimination Helpline at: 877-236-7703 to talk to someone about their concerns.
- New York: Information about the New York Division of Human Rights (“NYSDHR”) can be found on its website (dhr.ny.gov/), or by calling 1-888-392-3644. Employees may call the statewide hotline operated by the NYSDHR to report issues of workplace sexual harassment at 1-800-HARASS-3 (1-800-427-2773). Information about the New York City Commission on Human Rights (“NYCCHR”) can be found on its website (https://www.nyc.gov/html/cchr) or by calling 212-504-4115.
If you think you have been harassed or that you have been retaliated against for resisting or complaining, you may file a complaint with the appropriate agency.
Prohibition Against Retaliation
The Organization will not tolerate intimidation or retaliation against anyone because they have engaged in or may engage in filing a complaint of discrimination, harassment or retaliation; assisted or participated in an investigation; opposed any act or practice made unlawful by any local, state, or federal law; or exercised any other legally protected right.
Your notification of any concerns is essential to us. We cannot help resolve a problem unless we know about it. Therefore, please bring any concerns to our attention as soon as possible so that we can take whatever steps are necessary to address the situation.
Questions?
Contact your People Business Partner or the Ethics Hotline.
Links to Resources
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