Harassment Policy

 

SPRINGFIELD THEATRE CENTRE (STC) HARASSMENT POLICY STATEMENT 

STC is committed to maintaining an environment free of any type of harassment that diminishes the dignity of the people involved with our productions. STC has adopted a detailed policy on this subject. Harassment, whether verbal, non-verbal, or physical, will not be tolerated in the STC environment. This includes all rehearsals, performances, social events performed at the Hoogland Center for the Arts (HCFTA), or any other function where the person is working on behalf of STC.

It is the policy of STC that anyone working with minors while participating in STC events will refrain from any private contact with minors, including, but not limited to email, texts, snapchats, phone calls, WhatsApp, Facebook, Facebook Messenger, or any similar electronic application.  Any required communication must either be made on a public or semi-public forum (i.e. a group email to an entire cast and a staff of a show, or a closed Facebook group involving all members of the cast and crew of a production and includes the STC producers and officers) or include the minor’s parent or guardian on the correspondence. 

Any cast, crew, or staff member who feels subjected to harassment of any sort, or who has knowledge of harassing conduct within the STC environment, is expected to report such conduct to the director, assistant director, producer, or to any member of the STC Board of Directors.

If you have any questions regarding this policy, ask your producer(s) or a member of the STC Board.

PROCEDURES  

A volunteer who feels subjected to harassment may report the misconduct to the STC Personnel and Nominations Committee by completing the STC Harassment Complaint Form. No formal action will be taken against any person under this policy unless the complaint form has been submitted and contains sufficient details (information) to determine whether the policy has been violated.

If a person does not feel comfortable informing the Personnel and Nominations Committee, or is not able to do so, that person is invited to report their complaint to any STC Board Member or the Executive Director of Hoogland Center for the Arts .

INVESTIGATION

STC is not a criminal justice or law enforcement agency. However, STC takes allegations of misconduct very seriously. Any person submitting a complaint through the online complaint form will receive notification when the complaint has been received.  The STC Personnel and Nominations Committee will investigate every complaint of misconduct. If it is determined by STC’s Personnel and Nominations Committee that harassment or discrimination in violation of this policy has occurred, the STC Personnel and Nominations Committee will recommend appropriate action to be approved by the board.The timing, scope, and extent of any investigation by the STC Personnel and Nominations Committee will be determined on a case-by-case basis and may be informed by certain criteria, including but not limited to: the severity of the allegation, the urgency and frequency of the situation, pervasiveness of the conduct, prior complaints and investigations, and the resources available. If STC finds that the policy has been violated, appropriate corrective and remedial action will be taken, up to and including banning of offensive volunteers.   

SPECIAL NOTE ON REPORTED CRIMINAL ACTIVITY OUTSIDE OF STC POLICIES AND PROCEDURES 

If any STC affiliated person is accused by anyone of criminal activity that, in the judgment of STC, rises to a level beyond harassment as described above, and, in the judgment of STC, places in doubt the safety of any volunteer, then the accused will be immediately and without investigation removed from all STC related activities. Such a determination will be at the discretion of STC. 

CONFIDENTIALITY 

During the complaint process, the confidentiality of the information received, the privacy of the individuals involved, and the wishes of the complainant will be protected to as great a degree as possible. The expressed wishes of the complainant for confidentiality will also be considered. Confidentiality will be strictly maintained by STC and those involved in the investigation. In addition, any notes or documents written by or received by the person(s) conducting the investigation will be kept confidential to the extent possible and according to any existing state or federal law. Any individual who reports or files a complaint will not be subjected to retaliation at any time.  Fraudulent claims will be dealt with on a case by case basis.  

ALTERNATE LEGAL REMEDIES 

Nothing in STC’s policy may prevent the complainant or accused from pursuing formal legal remedies or resolution through local, state, or federal agencies or the courts.