Gender-Based Violence and the Workplace Policy

Policy on Gender-Based Violence and the Workplace

Download a pdf version of the Policy on Gender-Based Violence and the Workplace

I. Policy Statement.

The City University of New York (the “University” or “CUNY”) disapproves of violence in any form, whether as an act of workplace violence or in any employee’s personal life.
Domestic violence and other forms of gender-based violence permeate the lives of and harm thousands of New Yorkers each day, with tragic, destructive, and often fatal results. The impacts of such violence are felt in the workplace, regardless of where the incidents take place, and have the potential to compromise the safety of victims, co-workers, and students, while resulting in lost productivity, increased health care costs, absenteeism, and employee turnover. Employers have both a moral and legal obligation to their employees who may be a victim of domestic or gender-based violence.

New York State law recognizes that domestic and gender-based violence occurs within a wide spectrum of relationships, therefore CUNY will take every appropriate measure to prevent and/or address domestic and gender-based violence as it impacts the workplace, while also recognizing the rights of victims to self-determination and the need to respond in a survivor-centered, trauma-informed, and culturally responsive manner. All valid orders of protection shall be enforced by CUNY and all protections of this policy shall apply. This policy shall apply to all victims of gender-based violence, regardless of where such incidents took place.

The University, to the fullest extent possible, without violating any existing rules, regulations, statutory requirements, contractual obligations, or collective bargaining agreements, hereby designates and directs appropriate management, supervisory, and/or human resources staff to implement the following Gender-Based Violence and the Workplace Policy (the “Policy”) covering the following areas:

Violations of Policy

a. Any employee who would like to report any alleged violations of this Policy may do so by contacting OPDV, their College Director of Human Resources, or the NYS Inspector General’s Office by calling the toll-free hotline at 1-800-367-4448 where trained staff will discuss the specifics of your complaint.

b. For reports of workplace discrimination or retaliation, an employee may contact their College Chief Diversity Officer or enter a report via CUNY’s centralized reporting system (https://www.cuny.edu/discrimination-and-retaliation-report- form/) or by contacting the New York State Inspector General’s Office for Employee Relations (https://ig.ny.gov/form/complaint-form-long). This includes complaints related to denials of reasonable accommodations.