Prohibited Conduct

Our Commitment

Sacred Spaces is committed to providing a safe, respectful, and equitable work environment and will hold itself to the highest standards of federal, state, and local requirements as detailed below. Every individual is entitled to a professional environment that promotes respect. Sacred Spaces expects that all interactions among persons engaged with Sacred Spaces’ activities will be professional and free from harassment, discrimination, and disrespectful or offensive behavior.

To Whom Does This Policy Apply?

This policy applies to employees and workplace conduct, including conduct at work-related activities, organization-sponsored events, in-person or remote activities, and on or off the premises of any in-person event.

Forms of Prohibited Behavior

Discrimination and Harassment

Sacred Spaces prohibits discrimination (unfair or unequal treatment of an individual or group based upon their actual or perceived identity or other characteristic) and harassment (unwelcome, offensive behavior because of their identity, or being forced to tolerate such behavior as a condition of employment) on the basis of race, color, religion (creed), sex (including pregnancy), gender, gender expression, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, national origin (ancestry), veteran status, disability, predisposing genetic characteristic, or any other protected class in accordance with law in all of its activities and operations. 

As a national organization, we commit to complying with all state and local anti-discrimination requirements. We will take measures to prevent and address discrimination in all areas, including but not limited to employment, recruitment, advertisements for employment, selection and assignment, compensation, termination, promotion, and conditions of employment against any employee.

In applying this policy, Sacred Spaces affirms the right of employees to exercise their right to discuss the terms and conditions of their employment.

Sacred Spaces prohibits conduct that intentionally or unintentionally results in harassment of or by employees.

An individual is not required to directly object to the conduct for it to be harassing and does not need to be the intended target of harassment to make a report. See Reporting Structure: Overview of Reporting.

Sexual Harassment

One form of harassment prohibited by this policy and by law is sexual harassment. Sexual harassment is a specific form of harassment that can include unwelcome, offensive sexual or gender-based behavior such as flirting, teasing, sexual advances, sexual language, gender-based hostility, and demeaning comments or jokes. 

Sexual harassment arises from unwanted conduct (a) that is of a sexual nature or (b) that is not of a sexual nature but is based on sex (including gender expression and identity), when:

• Submission to the conduct is made either explicitly or implicitly a term of employment;
• Submission to or rejection of the conduct is used as the basis for employment decisions; or
• Such conduct substantially interferes with an individual’s work performance; opportunity to learn; the ability to participate in organizational programs; or creates an intimidating, hostile, or offensive working or learning atmosphere. 

The fact that conduct of a sexual or sexually offensive nature between two individuals was at one time consensual does not mean that it cannot later become non-consensual.

Bullying

Harassing behavior that is not based on an individual’s identity is referred to as bullying, is prohibited by Sacred Spaces, and is prohibited under this policy.

Retaliation

Sacred Spaces is committed to maintaining an environment in which people are free to report or oppose any incidents of harassment, discrimination, bullying, or other abusive behaviors. No unwarranted adverse employment action, including but not limited to work-related threats, negative or lowered evaluations, transfers to less desirable projects or venues, shunning or ostracization, or removal of supervisory responsibilities, will be permitted against any person for engaging in any of the following:

• Reasonably attempting to address or report conduct that they believe may violate any provision of this policy; 
• Objecting to conduct, permitting others to object to conduct, or talking to coworkers about possible violations of this policy misconduct;
• Cooperating with an investigation;
• Participating in the complaint reporting and handling processes; 
• Refusing to take action they perceive to be prohibited by these policies.