Equal Employment Opportunity and

Harassment Training
2013

OFFICE OF CIVIL RIGHTS AND DIVERSIT Y

Main Office, Suite # 2310
ocrd@peacecorps.gov
(202) 692-2139
David King, Director
dking@peacecorps.gov
(202) 692-2137
Janet Bernal, EEO and Diversity Training Specialist
jbernal@peacecorps.gov
(202) 692-2113
Laara Manler, Management and Program Analyst/EEO Manager
mhuckstep@peacecorps.gov
(202) 692-2145

OCRD: WHAT WE DO
Talk with Employees about Workplace Issues and
Concerns YOU DONT HAVE TO FILE A COMPLAINT
TO MEET OR TALK WITH AN OCRD STAFF MEMBER
Training re Employees Rights, Responsibilities
relating to Discrimination, Harassment, Reasonable
Accommodations
Authorized to Investigate Allegations of
Discrimination or Harassment
Maintain Peace Corps Compliance with Federal
Mandates

WHY AM I HERE?

Understand What Discrimination Is

Understand What Harassment Is
Understand My Rights and Responsibilities
Understand the Process to notify OCRD about
relevant issues of harassment and
discrimination

RACE
AGE
SEX
RELIGION
DISABILITIES
NATIONAL ORIGIN
COLOR
REPRISAL/RETALIATION

EXECUTIVE ORDERS

Political Affiliation
Union Affiliation
Marital Status
Parental Status
Sexual Orientation
Gender Identity
GINA

The anti-discrimination laws mentioned above

protect you from reprisal for exercising your rights
under those acts. Protected activities may
include:
Filing a complaint of discrimination
Requesting reasonable accommodation
Giving evidence or testimony to an
investigator or in a hearing
Complaining about or protesting perceived
discrimination against you or another
employee

DEFINITION OF HARASSMENT
Harassment is unwanted and undesirable, verbal and
non-verbal conduct towards another individual in the
workplace.
Workplace harassment may be based on any of the
protected categories
Severe and pervasive that interferes with an
individuals work performance or creating an hostile
working environment

WORKPLACE HARASSMENT
Harassment includes:
Ridicule, intimidation, demeaning and/or offending
comments, laughing at or joking about a protected
category
Using words that are derogatory or are known to be
offensive or demeaning about someones ethnicity,
social standing within the host country culture,
race, color, sexual orientation, etc

EEOCS LEGAL DEFINITION

Sexual Harassment
Unwelcome sexual advances, requests for
sexual favors, and other verbal or
physical conduct of a sexual nature.

FORMS OF SEXUAL HARASSMENT

UNWELCOME CONDUCT OF A SEXUAL NATURE

Verbal
Jokes
Disparaging remarks
Commenting on body parts
Innuendoes
Frequent use of sexual language
Language which targets any group, including
women, and comments based on gender
stereotypes
Talking about sex, asking intrusive or sexual
questions about an individuals personal life
Transmitting sexually suggestive/graphic content
via email, texting, fax
Unsolicited/unwelcome flirtations, advances,
and/or proposition, invitations to dates
Using demeaning or inappropriate terms: such as
Babe Sweetie

FORMS OF SEXUAL HARASSMENT

(CONTD)
Physical
Pinching, patting or groping
Touching to express power and social position
over another person
Cornering/Blocking/Following
Exposing oneself to another individual
Attempting to disrobe another person

HOW CAN I TELL?

UNWELCOMED -- As Determined By You
Has the harassing behavior occurred more than once or
twice;
Are the behaviors escalating in severity, i.e., language,
persistent requests, touching, blocking passage, etc.
PERCEPTIONS of Recipient determine whether harassment
has occurred
INTENTIONS Do Not Determine Welcome-ness

INTENT VS. IMPACT

It DOES NOT matter whether the alleged
harasser INTENDED to harass the victim.
Many offenders may be completely
unaware of how their actions are being
perceived

Continuum of Interactions

HOW HARASSMENT AFFECTS

THE WORKPLACE
For the Agency:
High legal costs
Poor public image
Lower productivity and morale
Higher employee turnover

HOW HARASSMENT AFFECTS

THE WORKPLACE
For victims:
Emotional and physical pain
Less effective job performance
Poor employee morale
Personal and financial problems

APPROPRIATE ACTIONS
Everyone should:
Set a positive example through personal conduct.
Do not make assumptions about the
appropriateness of jokes.
Think before speaking and consider others
feelings and perceptions.
Never go along with the crowd if behavior is
offensive, silence is often considered as consent

WHAT TO DO
Tell the person to stop, be clear and direct with the
person
Report the inappropriate behaviors to your
supervisor
If your supervisor is the harasser, tell the next person
in your supervisory chain
Report to OCRD
Inappropriate conduct can create a legal liability for
the agency when they remain unreported
In all probability, you are not the only recipient of the
inappropriate conduct