Respectful Workplace: Harassment & Discrimination 

The Family Connection Foundation is committed to maintaining a work environment where all individuals treat each other with dignity and respect and are free from all forms of unlawful discrimination or harassment, including sexual harassment. Harassment in the workplace based on sex, race, national origin, religion, age, marital status, pregnancy, disability, or any other basis under Thai law is strictly prohibited. The Family Connection Foundation does not tolerate harassment by anyone in the workplace - including but not limited to supervisors, co-workers, volunteers, visitors, or non-employees. The Family Connection Foundation is prepared to take action to prevent and correct any violations of this policy. Anyone who violates this policy will be subject to discipline or termination. 

Harassment & Discrimination

Harassment/Discrimination is behavior unwelcome, unwanted, or otherwise unreasonable and offensive to the recipient. These actions create an intimidating, hostile, or humiliating work environment. Examples of harassment based on race, national origin, marital status, age, or disability can include, but are not limited to:

• Verbal conduct, including making or using derogatory comments, epithets, slurs, and jokes towards such groups or individuals based on the identified characteristics.

• Cartoons or other visual displays of objects, pictures, or posters that depict individuals or groups in a derogatory way.

Sexual Harassment

Sexual harassment is defined as unwanted and/or unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal, visual, or physical conduct that denigrates or shows hostility or aversion toward an individual made by someone from or in the work setting under any of the following conditions:

• Forcing someone to do something for them to keep their job or position. Participation is explicitly or implicitly made a term or condition of an individual’s employment;

• Participation in, or rejection of, the conduct by the individual is used as the basis for employment decisions affecting the individual; or

• The conduct has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with an individual’s work performance or employment decision or of creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive work environment.

Unwelcome conduct of this type can include a wide range of verbal, visual, or physical conduct of a sexual or otherwise harassing nature. Among the types of conduct which would violate this policy are the following:

• Unwanted sexual advances or propositions;

• Offering employment benefits in exchange for sexual favors;

• Making or threatening reprisals after a negative response to sexual advances;

• Visual conduct such as leering, making sexual gestures, or other gestures which denigrate a person’s race, color, national origin, gender, disability, or age;

• Written or graphic material that denigrates or shows hostility or aversion toward an individual or group because of race, color, gender, national origin, age, or disability and that is placed on walls, bulletin boards, or elsewhere on The Family Connection Foundation premises, or circulated in the workplace; 

• Epithets, slurs, negative stereotyping, threatening, intimidating, or hostile acts that relate to race, color, gender, national origin, age, or disability, graphic verbal commentaries about an individual’s body, sexually degrading words used to describe an individual, suggestive or obscene letters, notes or invitations; and

• Physical conduct such as touching, assaulting, impeding or blocking movements.

• Use, publication, or distribution of sexually explicit images.

Employees who feel they have been subjected to discrimination or conduct of a harassing nature are required to promptly report the matter to the Head of Human Resources. Employees who observe or become aware of discrimination or conduct of a harassing nature are also required to report the matter to the Head of Human Resources. All complaints will be promptly investigated. All complaints will be handled with sensitivity, discretion, and confidentiality to the extent allowed by the circumstances and the law.

Upon receiving a complaint, the receiving party will immediately direct an investigation. If the investigation confirms that discrimination or harassment has occurred, prompt and effective remedial actions will be taken. This may include the discipline of the harasser or decision maker and other actions to remedy the effects of the discrimination or harassment and prevent further occurrences.

The Family Connection Foundation will not discriminate or retaliate against any person who has filed a complaint in good faith concerning harassment or discrimination or has testified, assisted, or participated in any investigation proceeding or hearing concerning harassment. Employees who believe they have been retaliated against for having used this complaint procedure or participated in an investigation must promptly notify any Human Resources staff member so such concerns can be investigated. Appropriate corrective measures will be taken if allegations of retaliation are substantiated.

Whistle-Blower Protection

The Family Connection Foundation will not discriminate or retaliate against any employee when the employee has, in good faith, reported what the employee believes to be a violation of Thai law or regulation; or in violation of The Family Connection Foundation Human Resources Policy & Procedures. All employees are encouraged to discuss perceived violations with their supervisor, the Human Resources Office, or Project Director. If an infraction is brought against a person in leadership positions, ie. HR office or a Project Leader, the reporting will move up to the next level of authority. For example, the Chief Operations Officer will intervene when the infraction involves anyone under their authority. If the infraction is against a project leader or an officer of the foundation, it will go directly to the Executive Director of The Family Connection Foundation. At this point, the Executive Director can handle or assign the investigation to another party.