VISIT SHREVEPORT-BOSSIER'S COMPANY SEXUAL HARASSMENT POLICY
Sexual harassment is a violation of the law and against the policy of Visit Shreveport-Bossier. It will not be tolerated.
Recognizing Sexual Harassment: Unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature constitute sexual harassment when:
a. submission to such conduct is made either explicitly or implicitly a term or condition of an individual’s employment,
b. submission to or rejection of such conduct by an individual is used as the basis for employment decisions affecting such individual, or
c. 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.
Management Responsibility: Sexual harassment undermines employee morale, interferes with productivity and causes hostility between employees. Visit Shreveport-Bossier strongly disapproves of sexual harassment and will take appropriate action to end sexual harassment and prevent a recurrence of any such misconduct. Whether or not a particular incident is the result of a social relationship without sexual harassment requires complete factual investigation. Given the nature of this type of discrimination, Visit Shreveport-Bossier recognizes that false accusations of sexual harassment can have serious effects on innocent individuals. Visit Shreveport-Bossier trusts that all employees will act responsibly in reporting sexual harassment.
Procedure for Making a Complaint: An employee who believes he or she has been the subject of sexual harassment should report the alleged act immediately, or as soon as possible, to either of the following: (a) President & CEO; or (b) Senior Executive Vice President of Administration. It is not necessary for an employee to complain first to the offending person or the employee’s supervisor to report sexual harassment.
Investigation: Visit Shreveport-Bossier will investigate each charge of sexual harassment by gathering information in as confidential a manner as possible from all concerned. Visit Shreveport-Bossier will not retaliate against any employee who reports alleged sexual harassment or cooperates with any investigation. Visit Shreveport-Bossier may consult with its attorneys to determine whether any conduct found to have occurred constitutes sexual harassment. If sexual harassment is found to have occurred, Visit Shreveport-Bossier will take prompt remedial action to end the harassment. In addition, Visit Shreveport-Bossier may make subsequent inquiries, from time to time, to ensure that any such harassment has not resumed and that the subject of any such harassment has not suffered any retaliation.
Discipline: Any employee found by Visit Shreveport-Bossier to have sexually harassed another employee will be subject to appropriate discipline, up to and including termination.
Retaliation is Prohibited: Visit Shreveport-Bossier forbids reprisals or retaliation against any employee for reporting a violation of this policy, for opposing a violation of this policy, or for participating in an investigation of sexual harassment. Any employee who believes he/she has been the subject of retaliation should report it immediately, or as soon as possible, to the Senior Executive Vice President of Administration. If for any reason the employee does not wish to report the matter to the Senior Executive Vice President of Administration, or if the employee is dissatisfied with the response of the Senior Executive Vice President of Administration, then the employee should report their complaint of retaliation immediately or as soon as possible to the President & CEO.
Training Requirements: Louisiana R.S. 42:343 requires that each employee receive a minimum of one hour of education and training on preventing sexual harassment during each full calendar year of employment. Supervisors must receive additional education and training.
(Revised 3/5/2024)
