4-4 Equal Employment Opportunity Policy & Complaint Procedure -Section V: Complaints

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Approved: Board of Supervisors
Authority: Human Resources
Resolution: 16-0333
Revised Date: September 2016

Read next: Section VI: Complaint Procedure

V: Complaints

1. An employee or applicant for employment with the County of Sonoma who believes he/she has suffered discrimination on the basis of race, color, ancestry, national origin, religion, sex (which is defined to include gender (including sex stereotyping), and also including a person’s gender identity (i.e. a person’s identification as male, female, a gender different from the person’s sex at birth, or transgender); gender expression (i.e. a person’s gender-related appearance or behavior, whether or not stereo-typically associated with the person’s sex at birth); transgender (i.e. a person whose gender identity differs from the person’s sex at birth); pregnancy or medical conditions related to pregnancy; childbirth or medical conditions related to childbirth; breastfeeding or medical conditions related to breastfeeding; and sexual orientation), marital status, age, medical condition (including, but not limited to cancer, AIDS and HIV), physical or mental disability, genetic information, military or veteran status, or any other legally protected category, or any County employee who believes he/she has been harassed as a result of being in any of the above protected classifications, or any County employee who believes he/she has been retaliated against for engaging in protected activity is encouraged to promptly bring such claim to the attention of the County of Sonoma Equal Employment Opportunity Manager in accordance with the County's EEO Policy as described below. All supervisors or managers who witness any discriminatory, harassing or retaliatory misconduct that may constitute a violation of this policy are required to immediately report the conduct to the County of Sonoma Equal Employment Opportunity Manager.

   All employees who witness any discriminatory, harassing or retaliatory misconduct that may constitute a violation of this policy are encouraged to promptly report the conduct to the County of Sonoma EEO Manager.

   County of Sonoma Equal Employment Opportunity Manager:
   (707) 565-2331

2. This policy is not intended to prohibit employees or applicants from filing complaints with the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing or the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission or to prevent them from pursuing other available judicial remedies.

   California Department of Fair Employment & Housing (DFEH):
   (800) 884-1684 or www.dfeh.ca.gov

   Federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC):
   (800) 669-4000 or www.eeoc.gov.

   For all employees, this discrimination, harassment and retaliation complaint procedure shall be the exclusive internal mechanism for pursuing claims and complaining of discrimination, harassment or retaliation in any aspect of County employment.

3. An employee who makes a complaint of discrimination, harassment, or retaliation is in no manner excused or exempt from the same performance standards to which other employees performing the same or similar work are held accountable. All job performance standards will be maintained throughout and following any investigation undertaken as a result of this procedure.

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