Prohibited Harassment

Company policy prohibits harassment and disrespectful conduct based on any protected characteristic. This policy applies to all persons involved in the operation of the Company, including employees, vendors, customers, independent contractors, unpaid interns, volunteers, persons providing services pursuant to a contract, and any other person you come into contact with while working.

Prohibited harassment is unwelcome and offensive behavior. The following is a partial list of what may constitute harassment:

• Verbal conduct such as epithets, derogatory jokes or comments, slurs, or unwanted sexual advances, invitations, comments, posts, or messages
• Visual displays such as derogatory or sexually oriented posters, photographs, cartoons, drawings, or gestures
• Physical conduct such as assault, unwanted touching, or intentionally blocking normal movement or interfering with work because of sex, race, or any other protected characteristic
• Threats and demands to submit to sexual requests or sexual advances as a condition of continued employment, or to avoid some other loss, and offers of employment benefits in return for sexual favors
• Retaliation for reporting or threatening to report harassment
• Communication via electronic media of any type that includes conduct prohibited by federal or state law or by Company policy

Prohibited harassment has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with an employee's work performance, or of creating a hostile, intimidating, or offensive environment.

Sexual harassment does not need to be motivated by sexual desire to violate this policy. For example, hostile conduct directed at an employee because of their gender can amount to sexual harassment regardless of whether the treatment is motivated by sexual desire.

Prohibited harassment is not limited to sexual harassment. It includes harassment based on any protected characteristic.