Non-Discrimination Policy

It shall be the policy of the Foundation, to provide equal access/ employment/service opportunities to all eligible persons without regard to race, ethnicity, skin color, religious creed, ancestry, union membership, age, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, geography, mental or physical challenges, disability, perceived disability, marital status, personal appearance, veteran status or any other legally protected characteristic. This policy is practiced and is applicable to persons served, volunteers, agents, staff, and to membership on the Board of Directors.

Diversity & Inclusion Policy

The Foundation commits to:

1. Encourage the interest and participation of women, minorities, and any other underrepresented groups in the Foundation and its events.
2. Encourage the interest and participation of non-medical related people with broad occupational areas of focus within the Foundations scope, human resources, business administration, fund raising, volunteer management and executive management.
3. Provide support and development to medical professionals and support groups, acknowledging and respecting differences in age, family status, sexual orientation, religion, mental and physical abilities, geography, national origin, and occupation.

Enforcing Diversity & Inclusion Policy

Promoting and respecting diversity and inclusion is a serious matter. As such, the Foundation shall actively enforce its Diversity and inclusion policy. Any member or employee who harasses or discriminates against any other member or is otherwise in breach of this policy will be subject to removal from Foundation activities, including the Board of Directors. Any grievance brought forward by a Board member, volunteer, staff, agent, contractor, or employee shall be reviewed by a committee appointed by the Board.

Harassment

(Adopted 2/21/21)

GVF has adopted a zero-tolerance policy toward discrimination and all forms of unlawful harassment, including but not limited to sexual harassment. This zero-tolerance policy means that no form of unlawful discriminatory or harassing conduct by or towards any employee, member, vendor, or other person in our workplace or jobsites will be tolerated. GVF is committed to enforcing its policy at all levels within the Foundation. Any officer, director, manager, supervisor, or employee who engages in prohibited discrimination or harassment will be subject to discipline, up to and including immediate discharge from employment or removal from leadership for a first offense.

Scope

This policy applies to and prohibits all forms of illegal harassment and discrimination, not only sexual harassment. Accordingly, GVF absolutely prohibits harassment or discrimination based on race, ethnicity, skin color, religious creed, ancestry, union membership, age, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, mental or physical challenges, disability, perceived disability, marital status, personal appearance, veteran status or any other legally protected characteristic.

This policy is practiced and is applicable to persons served, volunteers, agents, contractors directly hired by GVF, staff employment, and to membership on the Board of Directors.

Sexual Harassment

Because confusion often arises concerning the meaning of sexual harassment in particular, it deserves special mention.

Sexual harassment may take many forms, including the following:

• Offensive and unwelcome sexual invitations, whether or not the employee submits to the invitation, and particularly when a spoken or implied quid pro quo for sexual favors is a benefit of employment or continued employment;
• Offensive and unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature, including sexually-graphic spoken comments; offensive comments transmitted by e-mail or another messaging system; offensive or suggestive images or graphics whether physically present in the workplace or accessed over the Internet; or the possession of or use of sexually suggestive objects; and
• Offensive and unwelcome physical contact of a sexual nature, including the touching of another’s body; the touching or display of one’s own body, or any similar contact.

Computer Messaging and Information Systems

Employees, Board members, agents and contractors are particularly cautioned that the use of e-mail, voice mail, or other electronic messaging systems, or social media, may give rise to liability for harassment. Employees, Board Members, agents, or contractors may not generate, should not receive, and must not forward, any message or graphic that might be taken as offensive based on sex, gender, or other protected characteristic.

Anyone receiving offensive messages over the GVF’s computer equipment or through the equipment of an agent or contractor, or receiving other unlawfully offensive messages or graphics over the Foundation’s email, messaging or computer equipment, should report those messages to their supervisor or other appropriate manager. Employees are reminded that the GVF’s email, messaging programs, computers and the data generated on, stored in, or transmitted to or from a vendors equipment housing GVF’s email, messaging or Foundation computers remain the property of the Foundation for all purposes. Should an allegation of harassment occur, GVF retains the right to do a forensic audit and/or investigation of its business related email generated through GVF programs, messaging programs, computers, computer systems, and networks of the involved party to ensure compliance with this requirement.

Procedures in Cases of Harassment

Any Foundation employee, agent, contractor, volunteer or Board member who believes that she or he has been subjected to unlawful harassment of any kind has the responsibility to report the harassment immediately to her or his supervisor. If the person is uncomfortable reporting the harassment to her or his immediate supervisor (whether because the supervisor has committed the harassment, or for any other reason whatsoever), the person should report the harassment to the next higher level of management above the immediate supervisor or, if the person prefers, to the or Chair of the Foundation or Board member.

The Foundation is committed to taking all reasonable steps to prevent harassment and will make every reasonable effort promptly and completely to address and correct any harassment that may occur.

Every report of harassment will be investigated promptly and impartially, with every effort to maintain confidentiality. The complainant and the accused will be informed of the results of the investigation. If the Foundation finds that its policy has been violated, it will take appropriate corrective and remedial action, up to and including discharge of offending officers, employees, and/or similarly appropriate action towards offending agents, vendors, contractors, or volunteers.

Reporting Without Fear of Retaliation

In accordance with the Reprisal section of the Whistleblower Policy herein, no one will be retaliated against for reporting harassment. This no-retaliation policy applies whether a good faith complaint of harassment is well founded or ultimately determined to be unfounded.

No Foundation officer, director, manager or supervisor is authorized, or permitted, to retaliate or to take any adverse employment action whatsoever against anyone for reporting unlawful harassment, or for opposing any other discriminatory practice in the workplace.