Sound relationships among Southwestern employees are essential to achieving and maintaining productivity and a high level of business conduct. Basic to these relationships is Southwestern's recognition of the personal value of every employee. Southwestern pledges that every employee will be treated and judged as an individual, on the basis of qualifications to perform jobs, without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including condition of pregnancy), age, national origin, veteran' s status, or status as qualified individual with a disability.
Likewise, Southwestern is committed to providing a work environment in which employees are free from sexual harassment. As such, the following specific policy regarding sexual harassment has been adopted:
- It is in violation of Southwestern policy for any employee or supervisor, male or female, to sexually harass another employee or supervisor.
- It is also a violation of Southwestern policy for a non-employee who does business with this company to sexually harass an employee, as well as for an employee to sexually harass a non-employee who does business with Southwestern.
For purposes of this policy, sexual harassment includes, but is not limited to, the following:
- Making unwelcome sexual advances or requests for sexual favors a condition of an employee's continued employment;
- Making other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature a condition of an employee's continued employment;
- Making submission to or rejection of such conduct the basis for employment decisions affecting the employee, i.e., promotion, demotion, transfer, etc.; or
- Behavior that has the purpose or effect of creating an intimidating, hostile or offensive working environment.
These guidelines supplement and should be read in conjunction with, but do not replace, Southwestern’s existing Policy on Sexual Harassment.
Southwestern views sexual harassment as a very serious matter. Any employee or supervisor who is found, after appropriate investigation, to be guilty of sexual harassment will be disciplined or discharged, depending on the circumstances involved.
Of course, Southwestern cannot respond to sexual harassment matters that are not brought to its attention. Any employee or supervisor who believes he or she has been subject to sexual harassment should report the alleged act as soon as possible to either his or her immediate supervisor, the Corporate Compliance Officer, the Vice President–Human Resources or the Director of Human Resources. An investigation of all complaints will be undertaken immediately.
All complaints will be held in confidence to the extent possible and at no time will an employee be retaliated against for reporting violations of this policy.
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