POLICY AGAINST Harassment

It is the policy of Improv North ("company") to maintain a working, performing and learning environment free from sexual, racial, age-based, religious, ethnic, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, and any other form of forbidden harassment of any Theater staff, intern, performer or student. Such harassment in any manner or form is expressly prohibited. It is also the policy of the Theater that no individual be subjected to any unwelcome conduct that is or should be known to be offensive because of his, her or their gender, race, age, religion, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, or other protected category. 

 

The company recognizes that, as a comedy company, the environment is not typical of all workplaces. The work that we do can sometimes veer toward being “blue” or “R-rated,” and the atmosphere of the community is social as well as professional. It is not the intention of the company to mimic an office environment. While this may require a more nuanced reading of social cues than the more clearly defined office environment, it is the hope of the company that with a combination of communication, common sense, respect, and empathy, the community can create an environment that prioritizes safety. 

 

All reported or reasonably suspected occurrences of forbidden harassment will be investigated (in accordance with the procedures outlined below) in a confidential manner and as promptly and thoroughly as is practicable and necessary. Where forbidden harassment has occurred, the company will take appropriate disciplinary, educational, or other corrective action, up to and including termination from a staff position, the loss of ability to perform or be in the audience at the company and the company's events, or the immediate revocation of a student’s ability to take classes at the company.   

 

There will be no retaliation against an individual who has complained about or reported alleged forbidden harassment or who has cooperated with an investigation of alleged forbidden harassment, regardless of the outcome of the investigation. 

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I. CONDUCT PROHIBITED BY THE POLICY

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For purposes of this Policy, forbidden harassment includes the following: 

 

Hostile Environment Harassment.

 

Hostile environment sexual harassment may occur when there are unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, or other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature.

 

Also, non-sexual conduct that is unwelcome and offensive and which is directed at an individual because of the individual’s gender may create a hostile environment.

 

Racial, age-based, religious, ethnic, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, and other forbidden forms of harassment may occur when there is conduct which is motivated by or relates to an individual’s race, age, religion, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, or other characteristics protected by law or policy.

 

Hostile environment harassment occurs when such conduct is sufficiently severe or pervasive to and does: (i) unreasonably interfere with an individual’s work, performance or ability to learn, or (ii) create an intimidating, hostile, or offensive work, performance or learning environment. 

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II. RESPONSIBILITIES

 

The company will make reasonable efforts to see that the actions of its agents, supervisory employees, directors, and teachers are free from forbidden harassment, and will take appropriate corrective action when it learns of such forbidden harassment. The company will also take appropriate corrective action in those instances where it, its agents, supervisory employees and teachers learn of forbidden harassment of any Theater staff, intern, performer or student.   

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All levels of Theater management, supervisory employees, directors and/or teachers will: 

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• Reject any offer or promise of sexual or other favors made by any employee, intern, performer or student in anticipation of or in exchange for some employment, performance, or educational decision and at the same time advise such employee, intern, performer or student that such an exchange violates company policy and will not be tolerated. 

• Avoid forbidden harassment, including the appearance of such harassment, by refraining from actions, language, and jokes, and by disposing of materials such as posters or magazines which could reasonably be anticipated to offend an employee, intern, performer or student. 

• Report to company management, in accordance with the procedures set forth below, any forbidden harassment that they observe, that is made known to them by others, or that they reasonably suspect has occurred.   

• Assure company staff, interns, performers and students as necessary that all forms of harassment are expressly prohibited, that the company will investigate reported and suspected occurrences of forbidden harassment, and that the company will take appropriate corrective action when forbidden harassment is found to have occurred.   

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In addition, teachers will refrain from dating their current students, unless they were in a relationship before the class began.

Directors will refrain from dating cast members or assistant directors, unless they were in a relationship before the show began.