The purpose of this policy is to:

• Affirm Ultimate 4WD Training commitment to providing a non threatening workplace free of harassment and discrimination, including victimisation and bullying.
• Ensure that all staff understand their roles and responsibilities in creating such a workplace; and
• Ensure all staff is aware of the processes and procedures for addressing any form of harassment or discrimination.

Definitions

'Bullying' - is unwelcome and offensive behaviour that intimidates, humiliates and/or undermines a person or group. Bullying involves a persistent pattern of behaviour over a period time and may include verbal abuse, physical assault, unjustified criticism, sarcasm, insults, spreading false or malicious rumours about someone, isolating or ignoring a person, putting people under unnecessary pressure with overwork or impossible deadlines, and sabotaging someone's work or their ability to do their job by not providing them with vital information and resources.

'Confidentiality' - refers to information kept in trust and divulged only to those who need to know.

'Discrimination' - is treating someone unfairly or unequally simply because they belong to a group or category of people. Equal opportunity laws prohibit discrimination on the grounds of sex, marital status, pregnancy, family responsibility, family status, race, religious beliefs, political conviction, gender history, impairment, age or sexual orientation. Victimisation is also treated as another ground of discrimination.

'Harassment' - is any unwelcome and uninvited comment or action that results in a person being intimidated, offended, humiliated or embarrassed. Equal opportunity laws prohibit harassment on the grounds of sex and race.

'Personnel' - refers to all employees of the Ultimate 4WD Training.

'Racial Harassment' - occurs when a person is threatened, abused, insulted or taunted in relation to their race, descent or nationality, colour, language or ethnic origin, or a racial characteristic. It may include derogatory remarks, innuendo and slur, intolerance, mimicry or mockery, displays of material prejudicial to a particular race, racial jokes, allocating least favourable jobs or singling out for unfair treatment.

'Sexual Harassment' - is any verbal or physical sexual conduct that is unwelcome and uninvited. It may include kissing, embracing, patting, pinching, touching, leering or gestures, questions about a person's private or sexual life, requests for sexual favours, smutty jokes, phone calls, emails, facsimiles or messages, offensive noises or displays of sexually graphic or suggestive material.

'Victimisation' - includes any unfavourable treatment of a person as a result of their involvement in an equal opportunity complaint. Unfavourable treatment could include: adverse changes to the work environment; denial of access to resources or work.

Specific principles

• All personnel have a right to work in an environment free of harassment and discrimination.
• Reports of harassment and discrimination will be treated seriously, impartially and sensitively. Harassment and discrimination, including victimisation and bullying, is unwelcome, uninvited and unacceptable behaviour that will not be tolerated.
• Managers or supervisors informed of any harassment or discrimination have a responsibility to take immediate and appropriate action to address it.
• In dealing with complaints, the rights of all individuals should be respected and confidentiality maintained.
• Wherever possible, complaints should be resolved by a process of discussion, cooperation and conciliation. The aim is to achieve an acceptable outcome while minimising any potential damage to on-going relationships.
• Both the person making the complaint, and the person against whom the complaint is made, will receive information, support and assistance in resolving the issue.
• Victimisation is unacceptable and will not be tolerated. No person making a complaint, or assisting in the investigation of a complaint, should be victimised.
• Harassment or discrimination should not be confused with legitimate comment and advice (including performance feedback) given appropriately by managers and supervisors.
• Personnel should not make frivolous or malicious complaints. All personnel are expected to participate in the complaint resolution process in good faith.

CEO
Ultimate 4WD Training
1st of September 2005