Statement

 

Harassment is a term for a number of complaints including discrimination, bullying, victimization and intimidation, and can have repercussions for the whole organization.

 

Harassment can be defined as behaviour or remarks, which cause offence and which threaten, humiliate or embarrass.

 

Harassment is where there is unwanted conduct on the grounds of a personal characteristic or unwanted conduct of a personal nature and that conduct has the purpose or effect of violating a person’s dignity, or of creating an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment for them. There are nine personal characteristics under the Equality Act 2010. These are age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, and sexual orientation.

 

Harassment is often dismissed by those not suffering from it as “just a bit of fun” or “harmless”. However, victims of harassment often suffer from stress, depression, low self esteem, lack of motivation and confusion, any of which can have an adverse effect on job performance, attendance, staff turnover, morale and health.

 

Elite Tactical Force recognizes that its staff, management committee, volunteers and service users may be victims of, or perpetrators of, violence and harassment. They have a duty to protect people from harassment, eradicate all forms of harassment and to take action where it is identified otherwise they can be held liable for the unlawful action of those who work in their organization.

 

Aims

 

The aim of this policy is to prevent harassment, whether physical, sexual or mental and ensures a safe and non-threatening environment.

 

To provide staff, management committee, volunteers, service users and suppliers who believe they have been subject to harassment and/or discrimination with a means to have that complaint addressed and to deal with those who are accused of breaching this policy.

 

Examples of unacceptable behaviour

 

• Spreading malicious rumours, or insulting someone (particularly on the grounds of race, sex, disability, sexual orientation and religion or belief)

• Copying emails, memos, correspondence that are critical about someone to others who do not need to know

• Ridiculing or demeaning someone – picking on them or setting them up to fail

• Exclusion or victimisation

• Bullying

• Unfair treatment

• Overbearing supervision or other misuse of power or position

• Unwelcome sexual advances

  • Comments about the way someone looks that they find demeaning

  • Indecent remarks

  • Questions about someone’s sex life

  • Sexual demands by a member of the same or the opposite sex

  • Display of offensive materials

  • Incidents involving touching and other physical threats are criminal offences and should also be reported to the police

• Making threats or comments about job security without foundation

• Deliberately undermining a competent worker by overloading and constant criticism

• Preventing individuals progressing by internally blocking promotion or training opportunities

• Unwelcome violent behaviour – shouting, physical contact that is deliberate to cause harm, threatening behaviour

 

This is not a definitive list of unacceptable behaviour and other comparable examples will fall within this policy.

 

Harassment by a Third Party

 

Previously, this applied only to sexual harassment. However, the 2010 Act extended prevention of harassment by third party to other protected characteristics (with the exception of marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity). This will apply where more than two occasions occur if an employer is aware of the incidents (these are not necessarily same third party). This could apply both to a Elite Tactical Force employee being harassed by a Third party but also a Elite Tactical Force employer harassing a third party. This also applies where the harassment related to a relevant protected characteristic i.e. associative or perception.

 

Action to prevent violence/harassment

 

All existing and new staff, management committee and volunteers will:

• Receive a copy of this policy as part of the induction training

• Will be involved in the review process of this policy

• Will receive any amendments to the policy

• Will receive training surrounding the policy upon request

 

All team leaders will receive training to raise awareness so that they are informed and understand how bullying, harassment, victimisation and violence could take place and what can be done to reduce the risk of this occurring.

 

Action

 

All complaints of harassment will be dealt with in a fair, confidential and sympathetic manner.

 

All allegations of harassment will be taken seriously.

 

If an employee wants to report an incident they should follow the Grievance Policy and Procedure.

 

All incidents of harassment must be reported to the line manager or the Chief Executive. If the alleged perpetrator is either or both of these people then incidents should be reported to the Chair or other members of the Executive via the Elite Tactical Force office.

 

Any person reporting incidents of harassment has the right to have another person present, as does any person accused of harassment. This could be a work colleague or trade union representative of a trade union of which they are a member and who is accredited for this.

 

1. The person being harassed must keep a diary of incidents so that these can be recalled accurately at any enquiry or tribunal. Violent incidents or near incidents should be noted on an email to the line manager for them to follow up. Physically violent incidents should be recorded in the Accident Book.

 

1. Where the perpetrator is a member of the public, and a member of staff is being harassed, then staff will be offered support through supervision in reporting the incident to the police.

 

1. Where the perpetrator is a staff member, the incident may be treated as a disciplinary offence, the disciplinary panel of Executive Committee may decide to suspend her/him with pay whilst investigations are carried out. Please refer to the Disciplinary Policy and Procedure

 

A panel of the Executive Committee will be formed to deal with all allegations and/or incidents of harassment. This group must meet within 10 days of the incident being reported. If the perpetrator is a staff member the Elite Tactical Force disciplinary process must be initiated if the allegations are confirmed.

 

The group must:

• Keep all people involved informed of their actions.

• Investigate the allegation of harassment

• Offer the victim of harassment support

• Advise the alleged perpetrator that the allegation has been made within 5 days

• Agree a course of action to establish the facts

• Decide on the action to be taken if the allegation is proven, this may involve invoking the disciplinary process

• Decide on the action to be taken if the allegation is not proven, this may involve invoking the disciplinary process

 

It is the responsibility of all staff, management committee member, volunteer and service users not to practice or encourage any form of behavior's that may be viewed as harassment.

 

Elite Tactical Force takes the matter of harassment and bullying seriously and will seek to address valid complaints quickly and effectively. If, after investigation Elite Tactical Force deems the complaints made to be frivolous or malicious, they reserve the right to take disciplinary action against the complainant.

​

Legislation

 

The Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 created a criminal offence of intentional harassment. As harassment is not defined, all forms may be covered by the legislation. Convictions are punishable by imprisonment and/or a fine. Only harassment within a dwelling is exempt, therefore intentional harassment in the workplace would fall within the legislative provision.

 

Equality and Diversity

We aim to be an organisation that values, recognises and responds to the diverse needs of members and those we serve. We adhere to the Equality Act 2010 and will not discriminate against any person or other organisation with particular reference to the protected characteristics

 

Monitoring and Review

The Senior Management Team, with adequate consultation of the Board of Trustees, will regularly review the operation of this policy.

​

​

REVIEW DATE

11/01/2023

REVIEW AUTHOR

Mr Leigh Turner, CEO of Elite Tactical Force Limited