It is the policy of the Nebraska Court System that all its officers, employees, and the recipients of its services be treated fairly and equally, with dignity and respect.

   Accordingly, any court system officer or employee who, while on court system or related premises, engages in sexual harassment or in any manner utters, circulates, or publishes any inflammatory comment, joke, or innuendo based in whole or in part on race, color, religion, gender, age, disability, or national origin, when such

(1) has the purpose or effect of creating an intimidating, hostile or offensive working environment, or

(2) interferes unreasonably with one's work or employment opportunities or with the receipt of services, shall be deemed to have engaged in workplace harassment and shall be subject to appropriate discipline.

   Any officer or supervisor who knowingly permits an employee to engage in such harassment shall also be subject to appropriate discipline.

   For the purpose of this policy, "sexual harassment" shall be defined as any unwelcome sexual advance, request for sexual favors, and either verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature when:

(1) submission to such conduct is made, either explicitly or implicitly, a term of an individual's employment or a condition of an individual's receipt of court services, or

(2) submission to or rejection of such conduct by an individual is used as the basis for employment or court system decisions affecting an employee or recipient of the court system services; or

(3) such conduct, whether welcome or unwelcome, has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with an employee's work performance or with an individual's receipt of court services, or of creating an intimidating, hostile or offensive environment.

   Any officer or employee who believes that he or she has been the subject of workplace harassment is encouraged to report the alleged incident immediately to the Administrative Office which shall process complaints in a timely and confidential manner.  Supervisors should contact the Administrative Office whenever they have information regarding a possible violation of this policy. Complainants and other persons involved in an investigation of an allegation of workplace harassment shall not be subjected to retaliation, coercion, intimidation or reprisal.

Amended 9-27-05; amended 7-9-15