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Sexual Harassment Policy - Office of Fair Practices

The Maryland Department of Labor is committed to creating a workplace void of all unlawful discrimination and which more specifically is free from harassment or intimidation based upon sex.

Harassment on the basis of sex is a violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended, Article 20-602 of the Annotated Code of Maryland, the Governor’s Code of Fair Employment Practices, and Sections 2-302 and 2-305 of the State Personnel and Pensions Article.

This policy applies uniformly to all departmental employees, programs and activities. It prohibits any form of unwanted or unwelcome advances of a sexual nature by supervisors, co-workers, beneficiaries and other clients. This policy also prohibits granting preferences or denying of opportunities or benefits because of an individual’s submission to or rejection of these sexual advances. This policy also prohibits any conduct that creates a hostile or intimidating work environment.

Examples of conduct that may constitute sexual harassment and therefore are prohibited by this policy include, but are not limited to:

  1. Unwelcome, unwanted, unsolicited verbal or written propositions.
     
  2. Obscene or suggestive remarks, gestures or jokes of a sexual nature, or about gender-specific traits.
     
  3. Unwelcome and intentional physical behavior such as kissing, hugging, pinching or brushing up against another individual.
     
  4. Displaying or circulating photographs or other materials and objects that are sexually suggestive or that demean or display hostility toward an individual because of that individual’s gender.
     
  5. Any other unlawful verbal, non-verbal or physical advances and/or harassments.

(All of the above also apply to text, audio and electronic communications such as telephone calls, voice mail messages and emails.

Any Maryland Department of Labor employee, applicant for employment, or beneficiary or other client who feels that she or he is a victim (either directly or indirectly) of sexual harassment should immediately advise her or his supervisor, the Equal Opportunity Designee/Liaison or the Maryland Department of Labor Office of Fair Practices (OFP) and may file a complaint of discrimination alleging sexual harassment. Complaints will be taken very seriously. They will be investigated immediately and handled as confidentially as possible. The Department’s procedure for investigating complaints alleging sexual harassment may be found on the OFP web page and on the department Intranet on the Policies and Forms page. Copies may also be obtained from the Department’s Office of Fair Practices.

Swift and appropriate disciplinary actions, up to, and including, termination, will be taken against any Maryland Department of Labor employee found to have sexually harassed any other Maryland Department of Labor employee, applicant for employment or beneficiary of Maryland Department of Labor services. As with other complaints of alleged discrimination, retaliation against or interference with individuals filing a complaint or participating in an investigation is also strictly prohibited.

Please refer questions related to this policy to the:

Maryland Department of Labor
Office of Fair Practices (OFP)

1100 North Eutaw Street, Room 306
Baltimore, Maryland 21201
Phone: 410-230-6319
Fax: 410-225-3282
Maryland Relay 7-1-1
E-mail: dlofp-labor@maryland.gov

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