Dignity at Work Policy
Introduction
Harassment and bullying – whether on the grounds of race, sex, gender reassignment, disability, sexual orientation, age, religious or political belief or for any other reason – is unacceptable behaviour that the company will not tolerate. Every employee of Durham Foundry (Sheffield) Ltd has the right to be treated with dignity and respect. Appropriate disciplinary action, which may include dismissal, will be taken against any employee, of whatever seniority, who contravenes this policy.
The company will not tolerate retaliation against, or victimisation of, any employee involved in the bringing of a complaint of harassment or bullying under the company’s procedure. Such retaliation or victimisation will itself constitute a disciplinary offence, which may in appropriate circumstances lead to dismissal.
The senior management of Durham Foundry (Sheffield) Ltd is fully committed to this policy, and the Company’s policy has the full support of the shop committee.
What is harassment?
Harassment means words or behaviour which:
| 1. |
are based on the sex, race, colour, ethnic origin, transsexuality, disability, religion, sexual orientation or other personal characteristic of another person; |
| 2. |
are unwanted; and |
| 3. |
create an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive working environment for the person who is the target of the words or behaviour. |
Harassment can take many forms. Examples of harassment prohibited by this policy include:
| 1. |
verbal abuse or offensive jokes or pranks related to a person’s sex, race, gender reassignment, disability, sexual orientation, religious beliefs, etc; lewd or suggestive comments; requests for sexual favours or repeated requests for dates; |
| 2. |
unnecessary body contact; threatened or actual assault or violence; |
| 3. |
deliberate exclusion from conversations or work activities on the basis of race, gender, disability, sexual orientation etc;
4. display of pin-ups, pornography, inflammatory or abusive literature or graffiti; |
| 4. |
display of pin-ups, pornography, inflammatory or abusive literature or graffiti; |
| 5. |
using email or the internet for the purpose of bullying or making abusive or offensive remarks related to a person’s race, gender, disability, sexual orientation, religious beliefs, etc or to send pornography or inflammatory literature |
This is not an exhaustive list. Some forms of harassment plainly constitute gross misconduct for the purposes of the Company’s disciplinary procedure and will normally merit summary dismissal. Examples of this category would be:
| 1. |
threatened or actual sexual or racial assaults; and |
| 2. |
suggestions or threats by managers or supervisors that sexual favours or racial origins could affect someone’s job security or prospects. |
Other forms of harassment may constitute gross misconduct depending on the circumstances of the case.
Employees should be aware that, as well as committing a disciplinary offence, an individual found by an employment tribunal to have harassed a fellow employee on the grounds of race, sex, gender reassignment or disability in the course of their employment may be personally liable to compensate the victim. In addition, harassment for whatever reason may constitute a crime punishable by up to six months imprisonment or a fine of up to £5000.00.
What is bullying?
Bullying is persistent behaviour directed against an individual or group of individuals that creates a threatening or intimidating work environment that undermines the confidence and self-esteem of the recipient(s).
Bullying can take many forms. Examples prohibited by this policy include:
| 1. |
verbal abuse, such as excessive or persistent shouting or swearing at colleagues; |
| 2. |
threatening or insulting colleagues; |
| 3 |
abusing power or using unfair penal sanctions; |
| 4. |
practical jokes, initiation ceremonies or birthday rituals; |
| 5. |
physical abuse such as hitting, pushing or jostling; |
| 6. |
rifling through, hiding or damaging personal property; |
| 7. |
ostracising or excluding colleagues from work events or social activities |
This is not an exhaustive list.
Bullying does not include appropriately conducted criticism of an employee’s behaviour or job performance by management.
An employee can be bullied or harassed by a colleague or subordinate as well as by a manager or supervisor.
It is important to recognise that what one employee may find acceptable, another may find totally unacceptable and that the essence of harassment and bullying is that the words or behaviour are unwelcome to the particular person who is the target of the words or behaviour. All employees must treat their colleagues with respect and appropriate sensitivity.
Responsibility of employees, supervisors and managers
It is the responsibility of all employees to comply with this policy and the particular responsibility of supervisors and managers to ensure it is carried out, with a view to developing and maintaining a working environment at Durham Foundry in which harassment and bullying are understood by all to be unacceptable. To this end, a copy of this policy is provided to all employees, who are expected to familiarise themselves with it and abide by it’s provisions. The Policy does not, however, confer contractual rights on individuals.
It is fully expected that all employees will act responsibly regarding this issue. False accusations of harassment or bullying can have a serious effect on innocent individuals. Therefore, should investigation show that a false accusation has been made in bad faith, appropriate disciplinary action, which may include dismissal, will follow. However, an employee who brings a complaint in good faith will not be subject to any detriment by Durham Foundry.
This policy should be read in conjunction with the Dignity at Work Procedure
M C Naylor,
Managing Director
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Contacts
Mike Naylor, Managing Director, is the primary contact for all sales and technical enquiries. Please browse our website for more information about Durham Foundry and our ability to manufacture Engineering Castings, Architectural Castings, Decorative Castings and Bespoke Cast Iron Castings then contact us on 0114 249 4977 or e-mail us on castings@durhamfoundry.com
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