AFFIRMATIVE EMPLOYMENT PROGRAM FOR MINORITIES AND WOMEN

PLAN FOR THE PREVENTION OF SEXUAL HARASSMENT

POLICY STATEMENT

The United States Postal Service is committed to providing a work environment free of sexual harassment in any form.

Sexual harassment is improper and unlawful conduct, which undermines the employment relationship as well as employee moral. The Postal Service will not tolerate its presence in the workplace, and employees who are found to have engaged in sexual harassment should expect serious disciplinary action, including removal.

Sexual harassment can take various forms, such as the following:

Making or threatening to make employment decisions based on an employee's submission to or rejection of sexual advances or requests for sexual favors.

Deliberate or repeated unsolicited remarks with sexual connotation or physical contacts of sexual in nature which are unwelcome to the recipients.

A sustained hostile and abusive work environment so severe that it changes the terms and conditions of one's employment.

Postal employees who believe that they are the victims of sexual harassment may seek relief through the EEO complaint process, grievance-arbitration procedures for bargaining unit employees under the collective bargaining agreements, and the grievance procedures for nonbargaining unit employees. Any possible criminal conduct should be reported to the Postal Inspection Service.

Employees who chose not to pursue a complaint through one of the above established procedures also may bring the situation to the attention of impartial supervisors or managers at the appropriate organizational level.

All managers and supervisors are charged with the responsibility for preventing sexual harassment in the workplace and, if sexual harassment occurs, for taking immediate and corrective action.

EEOC FORM 566