Complaint Procedure

Any person covered by Company policy who believes he or she has been harassed, discriminated against, or subjected to retaliation or abusive conduct by a coworker, supervisor, agent, client, vendor, customer, or any other third party interacting with the Company in violation of these policies, or who is aware of such behavior directed at someone else, should immediately provide a written or verbal report to his or her direct supervisor, any member of administration or management, or Human Resources. Employees are not required to report to their immediate supervisor and may speak to any individual identified in this policy. Human Resources and members of administration and management can be reached at the contact information posted in the workplace and provided during orientation. Supervisors and managers who observe or receive a report of misconduct are required to report it immediately to the Human Resources Department. All complaints will be referred to the Director of Personnel, who will work to resolve the matter internally.

If you make a report, please provide all known details of the incident, the names of the individuals involved, and the names of any witnesses. A written report is preferred but is not required. Detailed information aids the investigation and helps the Company reach a quick and fair resolution.

When a report is received, the Company will conduct a fair, timely, thorough, and objective investigation that affords appropriate due process to all parties and reaches reasonable conclusions based on the evidence collected. Reports will be kept confidential to the extent possible, will be documented and tracked, and will be closed in a timely manner consistent with the circumstances. The Company expects all employees to fully cooperate with any investigation.

Upon completion of the investigation, the Company will communicate its conclusion to the affected parties as soon as practical. If the Company determines that this policy has been violated, remedial action will be taken commensurate with the severity of the offense, up to and including termination of employment. Appropriate action will also be taken to deter such conduct in the future.

You should also be aware that the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the Florida Commission on Human Relations investigate and prosecute complaints of prohibited harassment, discrimination, and retaliation in employment. If you believe you have been harassed or discriminated against, or that you have been retaliated against for resisting, complaining, or participating in an investigation, you may file a complaint with the appropriate agency. The nearest office can be found by visiting the agency websites at fchr.myflorida.com and eeoc.gov.