Complaint Procedure
If subjected to or witnessing conduct that violates our Equal Employment Opportunity Policy or our Anti-Harassment and Anti-Discrimination Policy, immediately report such conduct to a staff supervisor or to the Executive Director (ED) by calling (916) 442-0185 or via email at David.Heitstuman@saccenter.org. If not comfortable reporting to either of those individuals, report the observed conduct to the BOD President. A complaint should be specific and should include the names of the individuals involved and the names of any witnesses.
The Center will promptly investigate and attempt to resolve the situation. Every complaint that is reported will be taken seriously and investigated thoroughly. If suspected violations of this policy are not reported, they cannot be investigated. Every worker’s cooperation is crucial.
Supervisors in receipt of a complaint will immediately notify the ED with all documentation provided as part of the complaint. An investigator will be selected from the following criteria:
- The ED, provided that the ED has no outstanding harassment complaints and no disciplinary actions involving the accused employee.
- A member of the BOD, provided that the BOD member has no history of complaints or disciplinary actions involving the accused employee.
- Legal counsel.
The investigator will:
- Interview the complainant, collecting dates, times, reactions, and other details.
- Interview any witnesses to the act(s) in question.
- Interview the accused, after all documentation and witnesses have been interviewed.
- Provide a full report to the ED, supervisor and Executive Committee chair.
If the Center determines this policy has been violated, effective remedial action will be undertaken commensurate with the severity of the offense up to and including termination of employment. Appropriate action also will be taken in an effort to deter any future inappropriate conduct. The Center will not retaliate against any person bringing a good faith complaint of discrimination or harassment or for reporting such misconduct or cooperating in an investigation and will not knowingly permit retaliation by management, employees, or your co-workers. Immediately report any instances of suspected retaliation to your direct supervisor or the ED.
In addition to these internal policies and procedures, the State of California Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH) provides additional information regarding the legal remedies and complaint process available through the government agencies. If you believe you have been unlawfully harassed, discriminated or retaliated against for having raised a complaint you may file a complaint or obtain additional information from the DFEH. The phone number may be found in the local phone directory.