Vermont Sexual Harassment Is Illegal Notice Mandatory

NOTICE	  	
SEXUAL HARASSMENT IS ILLEGAL	  	
Effective July 1, 2023	 	
Under Vermont Law	, sexual 	harassment	 and	 is ille	gal and	 is prohibited by 	the 	Vermont	 Fair 	Employment practices act	 (VFEPA) (Title 21, 	
Chapter 5, Subchapter 6 of the Vermont Statutes)	 and	 Title	 VII	 of the 	Civil 	Rights 	Act of 	1964	 (42 United State Code Section 2000e 	et seq.)	 	
Vermont law protects all workers not just employees.	 Effective 	Huly	 1, 2018, 	Vermont’s	 protections against 	sexual 	harassment extend to all 	
individuals engaged “to perform work or services	,” even if they are not “employees” under state or federal law	. References to “employer,” 	
“employee,” and “employment” below should 	be understood to apply to work agreements beyond the traditional employer	-employee 	
relatio	nship.	 	
“Sexual	 Harassment”	 is a form of sex discrimination and means unwelcome sexual	 advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal, 	
physical, written, auditory, or visual conduct of a sexual nature when:	 	
(A)	 Submission to	 that conduct is made either 	explicitly	 or implicitly a term or condition of work, or	 	
(B)	 Submission to	, or rejection of	, such conduct by an individual is used as a component of the basis for work related decisions 	
affecting that individual, or	 	
(C)	 The conduct has the purpose or effect of substantially interfering with the individual’s work performance or creating an 
intimidating, 	hostile, or offensive work 	environment	. 	
Sexual harassment 	does not need to	 be severe or pervasive 	to be unlawful	. 	
=t is unlawful to retaliate against an individual performing work or services for filing a complaint of 	sexual 	harassment or for cooperating in 	
an investigation of 	sexual 	harassment.	 	
Employers 	must 	ensure a workplace	 free of 	sexual 	harassment for all individuals performing work or services. 	Every supervisor is 	
responsible for promptly responding to or reporting any complaint or suspected acts of 	sexual 	harassment	. 	
 	
Examples 	of se	xual 	harassment 	include:	 	
Unwelcome 	sexual 	advances	 • Suggestive 	or lewd 	remarks	 • Unwanted 	hugs, 	touches, 	kisses	 • Requests 	for	 sexual 	favors 	• Pornographic	 	
posters, 	cartoons,	 or drawings 	• Unwelcome	 sexual 	jokes 	and	 banter	. 	
 	
Consequences 	for 	committing 	sexual 	harassment 	may 	include:	 	
Disciplinary 	action	 • From 	a v	erbal 	warning 	to dismissal 	• Damages 	and	 other	 relief 	for	 the 	victim 	civil 	penalties 	of up to $10,000 	per 	
violation 	• Criminal	 penalties	. 	
 
 
Employees or 	individuals	 engaged to perform work or services 	who believe that they have been sexually harassed or retaliated against for 	
compla	ining of 	sexual 	harassment are encouraged to report the situation as soon as possible to	 one or more of the 	following	. 	
(a)	 :is or her supervisor	; 	
(b)	 ______________________________________ (the head of this organization)	; 	
(c) The person	 who is designated to receive such complaints	 and reports:	 	
Name and Title: ____________________________________________	____________________	 	
Address and Telephone Number 	_______________________________	____________________	 	
The above	-named individuals can also provide copies of this employer’s	 written 	sexual 	harassment policy.	 	
The employer will promptly investigate and respond to all reports and knowledge of sexual harassment.	 	
You may also contact the 	State of 	Vermont 	Attorney 	General’s 	Office	, 109 State Street, Montpelier, VT 05609	-1001 (888	-745-9195 (Toll Free 	
VT) or 802	-828	-3657; 	[email protected]	. =f you work for an employer with 	at least	 15 employees, 	you ma	y also contact 	the 	Equal 	
Employment Opportunity Commission	, Hohn F. Kennedy Federal Building, 475 Government Center,	 Boston, MA 02203 (617	-565	-3196)	. You 	
may also contact 	the 	Human Rights Commission	, 14	-16 Baldwin Street, Montpelier,	 VT 05633	-6301 (800	-416	-2010 (Toll Free VT) or 802	-	
828	-2480	; [email protected]	) if you w	ork 	for a Vermont State Agency.