UPI Employee Handbook
Equal Employment Opportunity/Unlawful Harassment
UPI is dedicated to the principles of equal employment opportunity in any term, condition or privilege of employment. We do not discriminate against applicants or employees on the basis of age, race, color, religion, national origin, disability, veteran, or any other status protected by state or local law. This prohibition includes unlawful harassment based on any of these protected classes.
ADA Accommodation
UPI will make reasonable accommodation for qualified individuals with known disabilities unless doing so would result in an undue hardship to UPI. This policy governs all aspects of employment, including selection, job assignment, compensation, discipline, termination and access to benefits and training.
Unlawful Harassment
Unlawful harassment includes verbal or physical conduct, which has the purpose or effect of substantially interfering with an individual’s work performance or creating an intimidating, hostile or offensive work environment. This policy applies to all employees including managers, supervisors, co-workers, and non-employees such as customers, clients, vendors, consultants, etc.
Sexual Harassment
Because sexual harassment raises issues that are, to some extent, unique in comparison to other forms of harassment, UPI believes it warrants separate emphasis.
UPI strongly opposes sexual harassment and inappropriate sexual conduct. Sexual harassment is defined as unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature, when:
• Submission to such conduct is made explicitly or implicitly a term or condition of employment;
• Submission to or rejection of such conduct is used as the basis for decisions affecting an individual’s employment; or
• Such conduct has the purpose or effect of substantially interfering with an individual’s work performance or creating an intimidating, hostile or offensive work environment.
All employees are expected to conduct themselves in a professional and business-like manner at all times. Inappropriate sexual conduct that could lead to a claim of sexual harassment is expressly prohibited by this policy. Such conduct includes, but is not limited to, sexually explicit communications whether in:
• Written form, such as cartoons, posters, notes, letters, e-mail;
• Verbal form, such as comments, jokes, foul or obscene language of a sexual nature, gossiping or questions about another’s sex life, or repeated unwanted requests for dates;
• Physical gestures and other nonverbal behavior, such as unwelcome touching, grabbing, fondling, kissing, massaging, and brushing up against another’s body.
EEO/Harassment Complaint Procedure
UPI expects employees to make a timely complaint to enable UPI to promptly investigate and correct any behavior, which may be in violation of this policy. If you believe there has been a violation of the EEO policy or harassment based on a protected class, including sexual harassment, please use the following complaint procedure:
Report the incident to the Director of Human Resources who will promptly investigate the matter and take appropriate corrective action. Your complaint will be kept as confidential as practicable. If you feel you cannot go to this individual with your complaint, you should report the incident to the Chief Operations Officer (COO).
If UPI determines an employee’s behavior is in violation of this policy, appropriate disciplinary action will be taken against the offending employee, up to and including termination of employment.
UPI prohibits retaliation against an employee for filing a complaint under this policy or for assisting in a complaint investigation. If you perceive retaliation for making a complaint or your participation in the investigation, please follow the complaint procedure outlined above. The situation will be investigated promptly.