The Governing Board is determined to provide district employees and job applicants a safe, positive environment where they are assured of full and equal employment access and opportunities, protection from harassment or intimidation, and freedom from any fear of reprisal or retribution for asserting their employment rights in accordance with law. For purposes of this policy, employees include job applicants, interns, volunteers, and persons who contracted with the district to provide services, as applicable.
(cf. 1240 - Volunteer Assistance)
(cf. 3312 - Contracts)
(cf. 3600 - Consultants)
(cf. 4111/4211/4311 - Recruitment and Selection)
No district employee shall be discriminated against or harassed by any coworker, supervisor, manager, or other person with whom the employee comes in contact in the course of employment, on the basis of the person's actual or perceived race, religious creed, color, national origin, ancestry, age, marital status, pregnancy, physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, military and veteran status, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sex, or sexual orientation, or association with a person or group with one or more of these actual or perceived characteristics.
(cf. 0410 - Nondiscrimination in District Programs and Activities)
The district shall not inquire into any employee's immigration status nor discriminate against an employee on the basis of immigration status, unless there is clear and convincing evidence that it is necessary to comply with federal immigration law. (2 CCR 11028)
Discrimination in employment based on the characteristics listed above is prohibited in all areas of employment and in all employment-related practices, including the following:
1. Discrimination in hiring, compensation, terms, conditions, and other privileges of employment
(cf. 4151/4251/4351 - Employee Compensation)
(cf. 4154/4254/4354 - Health and Welfare Benefits)
2. Taking of an adverse employment action, such as termination or the denial of employment, promotion, job assignment, or training
3. Unwelcome conduct, whether verbal, physical, or visual, that is so severe or pervasive as to adversely affect an employee's employment opportunities, or that has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with the individual's work performance or creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive work environment
4. Actions and practices identified as unlawful or discriminatory pursuant to Government Code 12940 or 2 CCR 11006-11086, such as:
a. Sex discrimination based on an employee's pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, or any related medical condition or on an employee's gender, gender expression, or gender identity, including transgender status
(cf. 4033 - Lactation Accommodation)
(cf. 4119.11/4219.11/4319.11 - Sexual Harassment)
b. Religious creed discrimination based on an employee's religious belief or observance, including religious dress or grooming practices, or based on the district's failure or refusal to use reasonable means to accommodate an employee's religious belief, observance, or practice which conflicts with an employment requirement
(cf. 4119.22/4219.22/4319.22 - Dress and Grooming)
c. Requirement for a medical or psychological examination of a job applicant, or an inquiry into whether a job applicant has a mental or physical disability or a medical condition or as to the severity of any such disability or condition, without the showing of a job-related need or business necessity
(cf. 4119.41/4219.41/4319.41 - Employees with Infectious Disease)
d. Failure to make reasonable accommodation for the known physical or mental disability of an employee, or to engage in a timely, good faith, interactive process with an employee who has requested such accommodations in order to determine the effective reasonable accommodations, if any, to be provided to the employee
(cf. 4032 - Reasonable Accommodation)
The Board also prohibits retaliation against any district employee or job applicant who opposes any discriminatory employment practice by the district or its employee, agent, or representative or who complains, testifies, assists, or in any way participates in the district's complaint procedures pursuant to this policy. No employee or job applicant who requests an accommodation for any protected characteristic listed in this policy shall be subjected to any punishment or sanction, regardless of whether the request was granted. (Government Code 12940; 2 CCR 11028)
No employee shall, in exchange for a raise or bonus or as a condition of employment or continued employment, be required to sign any document that releases the employee's right to file a claim against the district or to disclose information about harassment or other unlawful employment practices. (Government Code 12964.5)
Complaints concerning employment discrimination, harassment, or retaliation shall immediately be investigated in accordance with procedures specified in the accompanying administrative regulation.
Any supervisory or management employee who observes or has knowledge of an incident of prohibited discrimination or harassment shall report the incident to the Superintendent or designated district coordinator as soon as practical after the incident. All other employees are encouraged to report such incidents to their supervisor immediately. The district shall protect any employee who does report such incidents from retaliation.
The Superintendent or designee shall use all appropriate means to reinforce the district's nondiscrimination policy including providing training and information to employees about how to recognize harassment and discrimination, or other related conduct, how to respond appropriately, and components of the district's policies and regulations regarding discrimination. The Superintendent or designee shall regularly review the district's employment practices and, as necessary, shall take action to ensure district compliance with the nondiscrimination laws.
Any district employee who engages in prohibited discrimination, harassment, or retaliation or who aids, abets, incites, compels, or coerces another to engage or attempt to engage in such behavior in violation of this policy shall be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including dismissal.
(cf. 4118 - Dismissal/Suspension/Disciplinary Action)
(cf. 4218 - Dismissal/Suspension/Disciplinary Action)
Legal Reference:
EDUCATION CODE
200-262.4 Prohibition of discrimination
CIVIL CODE
51.7 Freedom from violence or intimidation
GOVERNMENT CODE
11135 Unlawful discrimination
11138 Rules and regulations
12900-12996 Fair Employment and Housing Act
PENAL CODE
422.56 Definitions, hate crimes
CODE OF REGULATIONS, TITLE 2
11019 Terms, conditions and privileges of employment
CODE OF REGULATIONS, TITLE 5
4900-4965 Nondiscrimination in elementary and secondary education programs
UNITED STATES CODE, TITLE 20
1681-1688 Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972
UNITED STATES CODE, TITLE 29
621-634 Age Discrimination in Employment Act
794 Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973
UNITED STATES CODE, TITLE 42
2000d-2000d-7 Title VI, Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended
2000e-2000e-17 Title VII, Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended
2000ff-2000ff-11 Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008
2000h-2-2000h-6 Title IX of the Civil Rights Act of 1964
6101-6107 Age discrimination in federally assisted programs
12101-12213 Americans with Disabilities Act
CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS, TITLE 28
35.101-35.190 Americans with Disabilities Act
CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS, TITLE 34
100.6 Compliance information
104.7 Designation of responsible employee for Section 504
104.8 Notice
106.8 Designation of responsible employee and adoption of grievance procedures
106.9 Dissemination of policy
110.1-110.39 Nondiscrimination on the basis of age
COURT DECISIONS
Thompson v. North American Stainless LP, (2011) 131 S.Ct. 863
Shephard v. Loyola Marymount, (2002) 102 Cal.App.4th 837
Management Resources:
CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF FAIR EMPLOYMENT AND HOUSING PUBLICATIONS
California Law Prohibits Workplace Discrimination and Harassment, December 2014
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, OFFICE FOR CIVIL RIGHTS PUBLICATIONS
Notice of Non-Discrimination, August 2010
U.S. EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY COMMISSION PUBLICATIONS
Questions and Answers: Religious Discrimination in the Workplace, 2008
New Compliance Manual Section 15: Race and Color Discrimination, April 2006
Enforcement Guidance: Vicarious Employer Liability for Unlawful Harassment by Supervisors, June
WEB SITES
California Department of Fair Employment and Housing: http://www.dfeh.ca.gov
U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr
U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission: http://www.eeoc.gov
Policy MENIFEE UNION SCHOOL DISTRICT
adopted: July 13, 1993 Menifee, California
revised: September 12, 2000
revised: May 28, 2002
revised: February 24, 2004
revised: August 10, 2010
revised: November 8, 2016
revised: December 13, 2016
revised: September 24, 2019