Harassment and Bullying Policy

Policy Statement

Focus Training (SW) Ltd wishes to provide a stimulating and supportive training environment which will enable its learners to fulfil their personal potential and creativity. The Company accepts that such an environment cannot be created or sustained if learners are subject to harassment, intimidation, aggression or coercion.

The Company is fully committed to the principles of equal opportunities and regards personal harassment as a discriminatory and unacceptable form of behaviour.

Accordingly, the Company will treat any incident of harassment as a serious matter which may lead to disciplinary action according to the terms of the Disciplinary Policy, up to and including dismissal or termination of training, being taken against the perpetrator.

All members of the Company’s staff are responsible for ensuring that personal harassment of a learner does not occur.

Jamie Rail and/or Jackie Lowrie will be available to offer, in confidence, advice, information and support as required.

Harassment of the learners outside the Company premises or outside training hours may nevertheless fall within the remit of this policy and its procedures.

In addition to any penalty imposed by the Company, those responsible for harassing others may be subject to criminal and/or civil proceedings. Nothing in this policy and its procedures will prevent learners from exercising their legal rights.

Policy Definition

Harassment is unwanted conduct which violates a person’s dignity or creates an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment. It may be on the grounds of sex, marital status, race, disability, religion or beliefs, sexual orientation, age or gender reassignment. For the purposes of this Policy this list should be considered non-exhaustive, and harassment or bullying on any grounds will not be tolerated by the Company.

Harassment may be persistent or an isolated incident, obvious or subtle, face-to-face or indirect.

Examples of behaviour which may constitute harassment or bullying include (but are not limited to):

• spreading malicious rumours;
• professional or social exclusion;
• insulting behaviour;
• unwelcome sexual advances or physical contact;
• unfounded threats relating to job security;
• calculated undermining of an learners competence
• physical assault;
• verbal abuse, threats, derogatory name-calling, ridicule, insults and offensive or embarrassing jokes;
• offensive emails, texts or visual images;
• derogatory graffiti/insignia or display of derogatory or offensive  material; and inciting others to commit any of the above.

Unlawful Grounds of Harassment and Bullying

The Company wishes to reiterate that it will not tolerate any instance of harassment or bullying regardless of the grounds.

Sex

Harassment or bullying on the grounds of a person’s sex, pregnancy etc.  This can apply even where the complainant was not the learner to whom the harassment was directed;

Marital Status

Harassment or bullying on the grounds of a person’s marital status;

Gender Reassignment

Harassment or bullying on the grounds that a person intends to undergo gender reassignment, is currently undergoing gender reassignment or has already undergone gender reassignment;

Sexual Harassment

This is distinct from sex harassment, as it is physical, visual, verbal or non-verbal conduct that is sexual in nature;

Race

Harassment or bullying on the grounds of race, colour, ethnicity or nationality;

Disability

Bullying or harassment on the grounds of a person’s disability;

Sexual Orientation

Bullying or harassment on the grounds of a person’s sexual orientation, applying equally to “same sex” orientation, “opposite sex” orientation and “both sexes” orientation;

Religion or Belief

Harassment or bullying on the grounds of a person’s religion or beliefs;

Age

Harassment on the grounds of a person’s age, applying equally to all people regardless of age;

Grievance

Harassment or bullying as a consequence of a person raising a grievance.

Note:

Legitimate, constructive and fair criticism of a learner performance or behaviour during training will not be considered to be bullying or harassment. The Company will not condone bullying under the guise of “strong management” but, conversely, regards an assertive management style as acceptable provided that learners are treated with respect and dignity.

Procedure

• Learners can raise a complaint informally and/or formally.  They should contact Jamie Rail or Jackie Lowrie.
• Where a learner wishes to deal with any issue of harassment formally, they must do so according to the Learners Grievance Procedure

Responsibilities of Learners and Staff

• All learners are responsible for their own behaviour and should ensure that they comply with this Policy at all times.
• All staff are responsible for implementing this Policy and bringing it to the attention of learners.
• Any complaints under this Policy bought to the attention of the Managing Director will be dealt with promptly, confidentially, fairly and consistently.

Support and Advice

• The Company will offer counselling and mediation where appropriate.

Confidentiality

• The Company will treat any complaint received under this Policy confidentially.
• All individuals involved within an investigation are required to respect the need for confidentiality.
• Any breaches in confidentiality will be subject to disciplinary action

 Contact Information

 Jamie Rail Managing Director – 01752 348980 jamie@focus4training.co.uk

 Jackie Lowrie Business Development Manager 0752 348980 jackie@focus4training.co.uk