Zero Tolerance Policy
Gulf Alliance Builders and Developers Zero Tolerance Policy is part of our commitment to providing a safe and dignified work environment for all employees, regardless of gender, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability, religion, or any other aspect of their identity. All employees are responsible for conducting themselves professionally and inclusively, and disciplinary action will be taken in situations where an employee’s behavior violates this expectation. The Policy covers workplace harassment (Physical violence, bullying, racial/linguistic discrimination, child/forced labor, abuse of powers), sexual harassment (1. Verbal/Written, 2. Physical, 3. Visual), and corruption (fraud, forgery, bribery, extortion, favoritism, nepotism) both in and out of the office premises and provides a standard for addressing allegations of inappropriate behavior, ensuring fairness and equal treatment.
I. Policy
Any employee who is found to have been involved in workplace harassment, sexual harassment, and corruption (as defined above) will be subject to immediate disciplinary action, up to and including termination. If Gulf Alliance becomes aware of a contractor or vendor engaged in inappropriate behavior, the relationship will enter a probationary period or be terminated, depending on the severity of the incident.
At Arise of any such incident, the Harassment Committee and CEO/Board of Directors will investigate the matter. During the investigation, the accused employee(s) may be removed from the working environment and, in extreme cases, may be suspended. For more information on investigation process, please contact HR department.
To ensure a Safe & Inclusive workplace, all employees are encouraged to report incidents (incidents happened with them or witnessing with fellow employee) & report immediately to Harassment committee with following details:
- Name(s) of the individual(s) engaged in inappropriate behavior
- Your name (you are encouraged to submit this information but it is not mandatory. You can make an anonymous report if you wish).
- Name(s) of the individual(s) targeted by the inappropriate behavior (if you are a witness). If you have discussed the situation with the victim(s) and they requested to remain anonymous, please respect their wishes.
- A description of the inappropriate behavior and scenario under which it occurred
- Date(s) and time(s) of the event(s)
- Any additional supporting evidence
Fairness
All employees at Gulf Alliance are guaranteed a fair and impartial investigations process. The integrity of the investigation is the joint responsibility of the Board of Directors and Harassment Committee, whose personal biases and individual relationships will never factor into the investigation.
Transparency & Confidentiality
Gulf Alliance commits to a discrete but transparent investigation process. Throughout the investigation, all involved parties (i.e., the employee(s) making the complaint(s) as well as the employee(s) accused of misconduct) will be provided regular updates as to the status of the case. After the investigation has been concluded, a detailed written response will be provided. At all meetings and interviews, both parties have the right to be accompanied by a fellow employee or a legal professional.
II. Who Is Subject to Our Policy?
All Gulf Alliance employees, interns, contractors, and vendors are subject to the Policy. This includes senior leadership and the Board of Directors as well. An inclusive culture is only made possible by buy-in and cooperation from every employee, regardless of their role or position.
III. Prohibited Conduct
The Policy applies to any individual who engages in the following behavior(s):
Workplace and Sexual Harassment –The Occupational Health and Safety Act defines workplace harassment as “engaging in a course of vexatious comment or conduct against a worker in a workplace that is known or ought reasonably to be known to be unwelcome.” More simply put, harassment is any one-time or repeated unwanted physical, verbal, or non-verbal misconduct that violates a person’s dignity or creates an intimidating, hostile, degrading, uncomfortable, or toxic environment. Examples of harassment include, but are not limited to:
- Making threatening remarks
- Sexual assault
- Gender-based insults or jokes causing embarrassment or humiliation
- Repeated unwanted social or sexual invitations
- Inappropriate or unwelcome comments on a person’s physical attributes or appearance
Bullying – Bullying is any physical, verbal, and non-verbal conduct that is malicious or insulting. Bullying can make a person feel vulnerable, excluded, humiliated, undermined, fearful, or threatened. Bullying can take the form of physical, verbal, and non-verbal conduct. Examples of bullying include, but are not limited to:
- Physical threats
- Psychological threats
- Overbearing or intimidating levels of supervision
- Shouting at colleagues in public or private
- Spreading malicious rumors
Discriminatory Behavior – Discrimination refers to behavior that treats people differently or adversely because of one or more of the facets of their identity, including race, color, ethnic origin, gender expression, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, family status, physical or mental disability, or genetic characteristics. Examples of discrimination include, but are not limited to:
- Making insensitive jokes
- Factoring an individual’s identity into a hiring decision
- Purposefully excluding a colleague based on their gender
- Using a racial slur
Micro-aggressions – Micro-aggressions refer to obvious or subtle, direct or indirect behaviors and comments that reference an individual’s personal identity, such as their race, gender, ethnic origin, religion, or age. Over time, micro-aggressions can have lasting emotional and mental effects on the individual or individuals targeted and can contribute to a toxic and non-inclusive workplace. Examples of micro-aggressions in the workplace can include, but are not limited to:
- Calling a woman “bossy”
- Repeatedly calling a racialized employee by the name of a different person of the same race
- Asking a racialized employee where they are “really” from
- Commenting on a person’s physical appearance in reference to racial characteristics such as skin tone
- Scheduling meetings or important deadlines on religious or cultural holidays
Corruption – Corruption refers to is a broader term for misconduct in the workplace, especially an employee’s engagement in unethical and illegal activities for his/her personal, most likely financial gain. When corruption takes place in the workplace, it affects the perception of the business by the public and its employees as it breaks public trust. Examples of corruption in the workplace can include, but are not limited to:
- Fraud; committing an act of workplace-related dishonesty
- Forgery; receiving a bribe in exchange for confidential information,
- Bribery; giving an undue advantage, payment, expensive gifts, or sexual favors to secure an advantage.
- Extortion; requesting an undue advantage, payment, expensive gifts, or sexual favors in return for making a decision.
- Favoritism, Nepotism; giving unfair preferential treatment at the expense of other employees.
IV. Disciplinary Action
Employees who are found to violate the Policy may face a variety of disciplinary actions, up to and including immediate termination, the decision taken by CEO/Board of Directors after thorough investigation process conducted by Harassment Committee/Board of Directors. The severity of the disciplinary action depends on the type of misconduct, which is based on the following framework:
Minor Infraction – Unintentional and minor forms of bullying, micro-aggressions, and discriminatory behavior. Minor infractions may include unintentionally making an offensive comment about a colleague’s appearance. Discipline for a minor infraction includes, but is not limited to: mandatory mediation and mandatory training programs.
Major Infraction – Intentional, but stand-alone, and minor instances of harassment, bullying, or discrimination, such as making sexist, racist, or homophobic jokes or propositioning a colleague. Minor infractions may become considered major infractions if the offending employee develops a concerning pattern of behavior or has been unable to learn from their previous reprimands. Discipline for a major infraction includes, but is not limited to: temporary leave with pay, temporary leave without pay, probationary period placement, and permanent dismissal.
Gross Misconduct – Intentional and major forms of harassment, bullying, or discrimination, such as making threatening remarks, engaging in unwanted physical contact, or using racial slurs. Discipline for gross misconduct includes, but is not limited to: immediate dismissal and legal recourse.
V. No Retaliation
Any employee who files a valid complaint will not be subject to any form of retaliation, either direct (i.e., dismissal or demotion) or indirect (i.e., being passed over for a promotion). Employees who do participate in retaliatory measures will be investigated and subject to disciplinary action.
VI. Appeals Procedure
Employees who are found in violation of the Zero Tolerance Policy may appeal this finding. To do so, they must file a written appeal with a member of the HR Department within 5 business days of receiving confirmation of their violation. The appeal will be handled by a third-party investigator who was not involved with the original investigation. The appeal will be handled by a third-party investigator who was not involved with the original investigation. The decision of this investigator will be final.
