Workplace Conduct and Anti-Bullying

PURPOSE 

The purpose of this policy is to foster a work and learning environment where each person’s individual dignity is valued. Our efforts include providing a workplace that values the health, dignity, and well-being of all employees. This policy defines workplace bullying and establishes respect standards for the prevention of workplace bullying.

TO WHOM DOES THIS POLICY APPLY 

This policy applies to all employees, volunteers, applicants, contractors, or other persons who have an actual or prospective employment, volunteer, or contractual relationship with the College (herein referred to as employees). This policy does not apply to students, except for an employee who is also a student and only as it applies to the student’s employment relationship with the College.  

REFERENCES 

1. Article 3 (Workplace Behavior) of the collective bargaining agreement between the State of Washington and the Washington Federation of State Employees, Higher Education Coalition (WFSE HE CC)
2. Article 3 (Workplace Behavior) of the collective bargaining agreement between the State of Washington and the Washington Public Employees Association, Higher Education (WPEA HE)
3. Article 8.10 (Academic Freedom) of the collective bargaining agreement between Tacoma Community College and the TCC Federation of Teachers (TCCFT)
4. RCW 49.60, Washington Law Against Discrimination

DEFINITIONS 

For purposes of this policy, the following terms are defined as follows:

Bullying Behavior: Includes but is not limited to acts of an employee or group of employees that intentionally intimidates, degrades, humiliates, or isolates people at work, and/or undermines their reputation or job performance. 

• Bullying does not include the legitimate actions of a supervisor or manager to guide and direct an employee and/or address and improve an employee's unsatisfactory job performance, including corrective and disciplinary action when necessary. Any abuse of supervisory authority that is perceived as hostile, offensive, discriminatory, or may involve bullying behavior of any type should be reported immediately to Human Resources for responsive action.
• Bullying does not include the legitimate actions of a professor or staff member to guide and direct a student to improve a student’s academic work, professionalism, and/or address class behavior, including actions that may impact a student’s grade or academic record. Any abuse of authority that is perceived as hostile, offensive, discriminatory, or may involve bullying behavior of any type should be reported immediately to their chair or appropriate supervisor for responsive action.
• Bullying does not include the exercise of academic freedom. The College recognizes the right and responsibility of the academic employee to insist that students be free to learn and academic employees free to teach broad areas of knowledge, including those that may be considered controversial.
• Bullying does not include the act of respectfully representing controversial constituent opinions through shared governance or as a department/program chair. Disagreement does not inherently imply disrespect.

Bullying undermines the health, dignity, and well-being of employees and the college learning environment. If unaddressed, bullying, and other workplace misconduct can contribute to escalating aggression and potential workplace violence. Such aggressive and hostile acts can occur as a single, severe incident or repeated incidents, and may manifest in many forms. 

Cyberbullying: The use of any form of electronic communications, technology, medium, or modality including, but not limited to, email, text messages, instant messages, social media platforms or services, or audio or video recordings by means of the Internet, the College’s network, Intranet (HUB), and any one-way or interactive networked digital technology including mobile telephone or other communications devices to harass, abuse, bully, or engage in other misconduct which harms, threatens, or is reasonably perceived as threatening the health or safety of another person or group of people.

Exclusion: Intentionally omitting, excluding, or disregarding a person in a defined work group or department in any work-related activities or communications, including social events.

Harassment: Behavior directed toward an employee or group that appears intended to alarm, manipulate, control, or abuse another person or persons.

Hazing: Any action or situation created by one or more members of a group or organization towards other members or prospective members of the group or organization that intentionally or recklessly causes or threatens to cause mental or physical harassment, humiliation, fatigue, degradation, ridicule, shock, physical injury, or serious psychological or emotional harm. The action or situation is in connection with initiation, admission, affiliation, or ongoing membership in the group or organization, may occur with or without the consent of the participants, and may occur on or off College property.

Humiliation: Belittling or demeaning another person or persons through actions, disclosure or speculation involving personal information, ridicule, or spiteful remarks in any form of communication.

Intimidation: Explicit or implicit threats of imminent or future harm toward an employee or group.

Mobbing: A form of bullying in which members of a group, individually or collectively, intimidate or harass an employee or employees in the College community.

POLICY 

It is the policy of the College to not tolerate bullying behavior (to include all definitions above), including any such conduct between or involving employees. All employees have a responsibility to conduct themselves in a respectful manner, and the right to a workplace that is respectful and free of bullying behaviors.

Any employee found in violation of this policy shall be subject to corrective and disciplinary action up to and including termination of their employment, consistent with the terms and conditions of the applicable Collective Bargaining Agreement, if any, and College policy.

Retaliation against anyone who has, in good faith, reported bullying behavior or other forms of disrespect, or who has been involved in reporting, investigating, or responding to any similar issue, will not be tolerated and is also a violation of this policy.  Any employee who is found responsible for any type of retaliation will be subject to discipline up to and including termination consistent with the terms and conditions of the applicable Collective Bargaining Agreement, if any, and College policy.

Respect Standards

The College’s expectation for every employee regarding their own behaviors and communications include, without limitation: o Holding yourself and others accountable to the College's mission, vision, and core values.

• Interacting with others in a respectful and considerate manner.
• Promoting equality and acceptance of people from diverse backgrounds.
• Respecting confidentiality and privacy of the College’s employees and students whenever possible.
• Working together by promoting cooperation, participation, and sharing of ideas and information to promote team success.
• Contributing to creating a healthy and positive work environment. 
• Establishing and maintaining collegial and cooperative working relationships with internal and external partners. 
• Actively listening to the perspectives of others and seeking to resolve conflicts promptly.
• Using established channels to express dissatisfaction. 
• Promoting an environment that includes respect for characteristics and differences that are protected by law. These include: age, race, creed, religion, color, national origin, ethnicity, sexual orientation, predisposing genetic characteristics, marital status, sex, disability, familial status, pregnancy, arrest record, conviction record, genetic information, gender identity or expression, workers with care-giving responsibilities, military status (including Vietnam-era veterans, special disabled veterans, and other eligible veterans), and any other legally-protected category.
• Being knowledgeable of other related and applicable College policies and procedures including the TCC Non-Discrimination and Harassment Policy and Grievance Procedure (STSV-219).