Workplace Policies

MANDATORY SEXUAL HARASSMENT TRAINING POLICY

In accordance with the Louisiana Revised Statute 42:344, all employees (full-time and part-time) and Board Members must receive a minimum of one (1) hour of education and training on preventing sexual harassment during each calendar year.

Any employee that supervises, must complete one (1) additional hour of education and training.

The training is the employee’s responsibility. Once the employee has completed their training session, he/she should submit the printed certificate to the Executive Vice President for placement in their personnel file.

SEXUAL HARASSMENT POLICY

Sexual harassment is a violation of the law and against the policy of the Capital Area Finance Authority (“CAFA”). It will not be tolerated.

Recognizing Sexual Harassment: Unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical or other inappropriate 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 or the holding of office.

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.

Some examples of conduct that may, alone or in cumulative effect, be sexual harassment include:

Management Responsibility: Sexual harassment undermines employee morale, interferes with productivity and causes hostility between employees. CAFA strongly disapproves of sexual harassment and will take appropriate action to end sexual harassment and to prevent a recurrence of any such misconduct.

Procedure for Making a Complaint: An employee who believes he or she has been the subject of sexual harassment or who becomes aware of a possible violation of this policy should report the alleged act immediately, or as soon as possible, to either of the following: (a) President & CEO; or (b) Executive Vice President. It is not necessary for an employee to complain first to the offending person or the employee’s immediate supervisor in order to report sexual harassment. Complaints involving the President/CEO should be reported to the Chair of CAFA’s Board. Complaints regarding a member of the Board of Trustees of CAFA should be made to the President/CEO or Executive Vice President.

Investigation: CAFA will investigate each charge of sexual harassment by gathering information in as confidential a manner as possible from all concerned. Both the complainant and the accused shall participate in any such investigation. CAFA will not retaliate against any employee who reports alleged sexual harassment or cooperates with any investigation. If sexual harassment is found to have occurred, CAFA will take prompt remedial action to end the harassment. In addition, CAFA 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 CAFA to have violated this policy or who is found to have made an intentionally false complaint will be subject to appropriate discipline, up to and including termination.

Retaliation is Prohibited: CAFA absolutely 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 Executive Vice President. If for any reason the employee does not wish to report the matter to the Executive Vice President, or if the employee is dissatisfied with the response of the Executive Vice President, then the employee should report their complaint of retaliation immediately or as soon as possible to the President & CEO.

Regardless of the outcome of any investigation you have a right to make a complaint under any applicable State or Federal law