As Organizers of Las Naifas Luisa Zini and Elizabeth Wartluft have adopted the following policy to maintain a safe and professional work environment free of harassment for students, dancers, staff and volunteers:
Sexual harassment of any staff member and or student/dancer is prohibited. All other forms of harassment of any staff member and student/dancer based upon that person’s race, color, religion, ethnicity, national origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, or pregnancy are also prohibited. We are committed to the prevention of any and all impermissible harassment.
WHAT IS CONSIDERED HARASSMENT?
Harassment includes ethnic slurs or racial epithets, name-calling, jokes, cartoons, pictures, gestures, unwelcome physical touching, and other conduct based on a person’s sex, race, color, religion, ethnicity, national origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, or pregnancy.
Sexual harassment is defined as: unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature.
Sexual harassment can take the following forms: sexual remarks, jokes, or other sexual conduct that interferes with another person’s personal space or creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive environment; display of sexually suggestive objects or pictures; personnel decisions by supervisors or managers regarding promotions, raises or scheduling based on an individual’s submission to or rejection of sexual advances; or submission to a sexual advance used as a condition of keeping or getting a job, whether expressed in explicit or implicit terms.
WHAT SHOULD I DO IF I FEEL I’M BEING HARASSED?
All staff members have a right to work without harassment. All students/dancers have the right to take advantage of the services offered without harassment. If any staff member, student/dancer feels that they are being harassed, they should make an effort to immediately tell the harasser to stop the offending behavior. If the offending behavior does not stop immediately, any staff member or student/dancer who feels harassed is required to immediately and personally report the harassment to the teacher/event organizers. If any employee, student/dancer witnesses another person being harassed, that behavior should be reported to teacher/even organizers.
WHAT WILL HAPPEN AFTER I REPORT HARASSMENT?
Such reports will be investigated thoroughly and promptly. If deemed necessary by the event/class organizers, appropriate disciplinary action, up to and including discharge, will be taken if it is determined that a staff member or student/client has violated the policy on harassment. All information regarding any specific incident will be kept confidential within the necessary boundaries of the fact-finding process. Once an investigation is in progress, the involved parties should not be in contact. The staff member, student/dancer reporting the allegation of harassment will be kept updated as to the investigative process and the final outcome. Staff members, students/dancers making false claims of harassment will be subject to disciplinary action or dismissal from the classes and dance events and will be banned from accessing any premises where we are conducting classes or events. We strive to provide the safest possible environment for students to learn and practice dance as well as for staff and instructors to be professionals. Behaving as adults and following our rules will help build an even more successful environment where students can learn, dancers can enjoy dancing and instructors can do what they are passionate about.
