Non-Discrimination and Non-Harassment Policy

It is the policy of CPA to maintain a work environment free from discrimination and unlawful harassment, including sexual harassment.  This policy applies to all CPA employees and to the working relationships between the organization’s employees and applicants, volunteers, customers, volunteers, vendors, suppliers, independent contractors, and others with whom contact is necessary to perform organization business.

It is also the policy of the organization to maintain a work environment free from discrimination and harassment based on race, age, color, national origin, sex, marital status, religion, political affiliation, personal appearance, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran status, disability, family responsibilities, matriculation, genetic information, or any other status protected under federal or D.C. law.  More specifically, it is the policy of the organization to make all employment decisions solely on the basis of an individual’s merit, qualifications, and abilities, and without regard to an individual’s protected characteristics.  This policy applies to all aspects of the employment process, including hiring, training, performance reviews, promotions, discipline, and termination.

This policy also applies to all work-related settings and activities, whether inside or outside the workplace and includes customer sites, business trips, and business-related social events.  The organization’s property (telephones, copy machines, facsimile machines, computers, and computer applications such as e-mail and Internet access) may not be used to engage in conduct that violates this policy.  The organization’s policy against harassment covers employees and other individuals who have a relationship with the Company (including, volunteers, outside contractors, vendors, etc.).

CPA takes harassment issues very seriously and any violation of this policy will be treated as a disciplinary matter.

It is against the organization’s policy to engage in any sort of harassment, including verbal, visual, or physical conduct that denigrates or shows hostility or aversion towards an individual because of their race, age, color, national origin, sex, marital status, religion, political affiliation, personal appearance, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran status, disability, family responsibilities, matriculation, genetic information, or any other status protected under federal or D.C. law that: (1) has the purpose or effect of creating an intimidating, hostile, humiliating, or offensive working environment; (2) has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with an individual’s work performance; or (3) otherwise adversely affects an individual’s employment opportunities.

Harassment also includes sexual harassment.  Sexual harassment is behavior directed towards either a male or female employee(s) on the basis of sex, and can include sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, or verbal and physical conduct of a sexual nature when:

• Submission to such conduct is made either explicitly or implicitly a term or condition of employment; or
• Submission to or rejection of such conduct is used as the basis for employment decisions affecting an individual; or
• Such conduct has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with an individual’s work performance or creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive working environment.

While it is not possible to define precisely what type of conduct will constitute an intimidating, hostile, or offensive working environment, it may include:

• Unwanted sexual advances, propositions, requests, or inquiries about another employee’s sexual experiences or activities;
• Offering an employment benefit (such as a raise or promotion or assistance with one’s career) in exchange for sexual favors, or threatening an employment detriment (such as termination, demotion, or disciplinary action) for a team member’s failure to engage in sexual activity;
• Visual conduct, such as leering, making sexual gestures, displaying of sexually suggestive or degrading objects, pictures, cartoons, posters, or other material;
• Making or using derogatory comments, epithets, slurs, or jokes;
• Verbal abuse or insults of a sexual nature, sexual jokes, or other references of a sexual nature, graphic verbal comments about an individual’s body, sexually degrading words used to describe an individual, or obscene letters, notes, or invitations;
• Physical conduct, such as touching, assault, impeding, or blocking movement; and
• Other similar offensive conduct.

Depending on the circumstances, the following conduct may constitute discriminatory harassment based on an individual’s race, age, color, national origin, sex, marital status, religion, political affiliation, personal appearance, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran status, disability, family responsibilities, matriculation, genetic information, or any other status protected under federal or D.C. law: epithets, slurs, negative stereotyping or jokes, or threatening, intimidating, or hostile acts, and/or written or graphic material that denigrates or shows hostility towards an individual or group that is circulated in the workplace or placed anywhere in the organization’s premises, such as on an employee’s desk or workspace or on the organization’s equipment or bulletin boards.