Nondiscrimination Policy
Discrimination/Harassment
The Jeffco DeAngelis Foundation (“Foundation”) is committed to providing a safe work and training environment where all members of the community are treated with dignity and respect. Consequently, it is Foundation policy that no person shall be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to unlawful discrimination or harassment, in any Foundation program or activity.
This policy extends to all areas of employment and trainings including job advertising, employment requirements, recruitment, compensation, job classifications, promotions, terminations, and educational trainings provided by the Foundation.
Discrimination: It is a discriminatory or an unfair employment practice for the Foundation to refuse to hire, to discharge, to promote or demote, to harass during the course of employment, or to discriminate in matters of compensation, terms, conditions, or privileges of employment against any individual otherwise qualified because disability, race, creed, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, religion, age, national origin, or ancestry. It is also Foundation policy not to discriminate on the basis of pregnancy, parental status, citizenship status, veteran status, genetic information, or any other classification protected by law (referred to as “protected classes”) in matters of employment or Foundation activities and operations. Prohibited sex discrimination includes sexual misconduct (dating/domestic violence, sexual assault, sexual exploitation, sexual harassment, and stalking.)
With regard to a disability, it is not a discriminatory or an unfair employment practice for an employer to refuse to hire, to discharge, or to promote or demote an individual with a disability if there is no reasonable accommodation that the employer can make with regard to the disability that would allow the individual to satisfy the essential functions of the job and the disability actually disqualifies the individual from the job.
Harassment: Prohibited harassment is verbal or physical conduct or conduct using technology directed toward someone because of their membership in a protected class (or a perception that someone is a member of a protected class) that has the purpose or effect of substantially interfering with the individual’s educational or work performance, or creating an intimidating, hostile or offensive working or academic environment. Sexual harassment may include a range of subtle and not-so-subtle behaviors and may involve individuals of the same or different gender. Depending on the circumstances, these behaviors may include: unwanted sexual advances or requests for sexual favors; sexual jokes and innuendo; verbal abuse of a sexual nature; commentary about an individual’s body, sexual prowess or sexual deficiencies; leering, whistling or touching; insulting or obscene comments or gestures; display in the workplace of sexually suggestive objects or pictures; and other physical, verbal or visual conduct of a sexual nature. Please note, general bullying or uncivil behavior that is not based on a protected class does not fall within the purview of this policy. However, such behavior may violate the Foundation’s expectations regarding the Code of Ethics Policy, Standards for Business Conduct, Board commitment expectations, or other Foundation policy and should be reported to the Board President or Executive Director/Business Manager.
All Foundation employees, consultants, partners, and Board of Directors are expected to be aware of the prohibited conduct addressed in the policy and comply with the prohibitions. Failure to comply may result in corrective action up to and including termination, or resulting in action being taken against an employee, consultant, partner, or Board Member up to and including being prohibited from visiting Foundation property or participation in activities.
General Complaint Process
Any employee, consultant, partner, Board Member, or trainee, who believes they have been the subject of or witnessed discrimination or harassment based on any of the aforementioned protected categories should report the incident immediately to any of the below listed reporting officials:
- Foundation Executive Director (shawna@deangeliscenter.org)
- Foundation President (steve@deangeliscenter.org)
Complaints may also be filed with the U.S. Equal Opportunity Commission, U.S. Department of Education, and Office for Civil Rights, or Colorado Civil Rights Commission. Any complaint of discrimination or harassment filed under this policy shall be processed even if the complainant also files a complaint with an outside agency.
Contact Information for Filing Complaints with U.S. Department Homeland Security Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties (CRCL)
- E-mail: CRCLCompliance@hq.dhs.gov (fastest method to submit your complaint)
- Fax: 202-401-4708
- U.S. Mail:
U.S. Department of Homeland Security Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties Compliance Branch
245 Murray Lane, SW Building 410, Mail Stop #0190
Washington, D.C. 20528
- Website for additional information: https://www.dhs.gov/file-civil-rights-complaint
When a complaint is reported to one of the above listed Foundation representatives, the Foundation will conduct a prompt inquiry and take reasonable steps to mitigate future harm during the period of the inquiry. The complaint will be acknowledged in writing within 10 business days and the Foundation Representative will correspond with the complainant via email and/or phone throughout the investigation. The purpose of the inquiry is to gather all relevant information related to the complaint. The investigator may gather information from any sources deemed necessary in an effort to fully investigate and resolve the complaint. Generally speaking, the investigator should obtain the following information from the complainant:
- Details concerning the incident or conduct giving rise to the complaint,
- Dates and location of the alleged incident or conduct,
- Witness statements from those with knowledge of the alleged incident or conduct, and
- Copies of any documentary evidence relevant to the alleged incident or conduct.
Complaints will be addressed as confidentially as possible, considering the specific circumstances of the allegations to protect the interests of both the complainant and the person accused of wrongdoing. Any person who is determined to have violated this policy shall be subject to corrective action. Disciplinary or remedial measures should be designed to stop the misconduct, correct its effects on the complaining individual, and ensure that the misconduct does not recur.
The complainant and the accused shall be informed of the conclusion of the inquiry.
Retaliation
It is the policy of the Foundation that all participants involved in discrimination or harassment inquiry be able to participate free from retaliation. Consequently, if individuals believe they have been retaliated against for reporting a complaint of discrimination or harassment, for participating in an investigation of discrimination or harassment, they must report this belief to one of the above listed reporting officers or the assigned investigator. When a complaint is reported to one of these individuals, the Foundation will conduct a prompt inquiry as described above. An act of retaliation, in and of itself, is a violation of Foundation policy and shall subject the violator to disciplinary or remedial measures.
The Jeffco DeAngelis Foundation Board, staff, consultants, and partners will comply with:
- Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 which prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, or national origin.
- Language Access: National origin discrimination includes discrimination on the basis of limited English proficiency (LEP). Recipients must take reasonable steps to ensure that LEP persons have meaningful access to their programs and activities.
- Environmental Justice: Programs and activities that affect human health or the environment may not directly, or through contractual or other arrangements, use criteria, methods, or practices that discriminate on the basis of race, color, or national origin.
- Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, as amended, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in education programs and activities.
- Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, which prohibits discrimination solely on the basis of disability in programs or activities receiving federal financial assistance; and requires recipients to provide program access, physical access, effective communication, and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities to their programs and activities.
- The Age Discrimination Act of 1975, as amended, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of age.
- U.S. Department of Homeland Security regulation 6 CFR Part 19, which provides an organization that receives financial assistance from DHS for a social service program shall not, in providing services or in outreach activities related to such services, favor or discriminate against a beneficiary of said program or activity on the basis of religion or religious belief, a refusal to hold a religious belief, or a refusal to attend or participate in a religious practice; and generally requires recipients to provide certain protections, and notice of those protections, to their beneficiaries. The regulation also prohibits recipients from using direct financial assistance from DHS to support or engage in explicitly religious activities.
