Harassment Policy
Harassment and Discrimination can be against the law when a person is treated less favourably on the basis of certain personal characteristics, such as race, sex, pregnancy, marital status, breastfeeding, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or intersex status.
Our Policy on Harassment:Jervis Bay Sea Sports is committed to providing an environment that is free of harassment and discrimination where staff, students, customers and visitors are treated with dignity, curtesy and respect as is their legal right.
What is HarassmentBe aware that harassment is not limited to other workers, as we deal with everyone in the community, our workers, customers, visitors and even just other people are covered by our policy.
Harassment can include behaviour such as:
telling insulting jokes about particular racial groupssending explicit or sexually suggestive emails or text messagesmaking derogatory comments or taunts about someone’s raceasking intrusive questions about someone’s personal life, including his or her sex life.
The law also has specific provisions relating to certain types of harassment.
Sexual harassment is any unwanted or unwelcome sexual behaviour where a reasonable person would have anticipated the possibility that the person harassed would feel offended, humiliated or intimidated. It has nothing to do with mutual attraction or consensual behaviour.Harassment and discrimination linked to the disability or medical conditions of a person or their associate is against the law.Offensive behaviour based on racial hatred is against the law. Racial hatred is defined as something done in public that offends, insults, humiliates or intimidates a person or group of people because of their race, colour or national or ethnic origin. Our GuidelinesIn order to implement our Harassment Policy our staff must follow these guidelines on their behaviour.
1. Recognise their role and responsibilityBe aware of their supervisory role. As in most employment and educational settings, an instructor-student, or dive supervisor-diver relationship naturally includes the potential for taking advantage of a person in the dependent position. Understand that the person you teach or supervise is depending on you for that service. To make advances toward someone they are instructing, or supervising can easily be perceived as taking advantage of their position.
2. Limit Physical TouchingOnly keep physical contact with divers that relate to safety, adequate control and reassurance. Where possible let others know what to expect. Also, direct students and customers to adjust their own gear and have buddies help each other, which helps them learn and reinforces teamwork while reducing the chance for unintentional unwanted contact by our staff. If this is not possible, if they do need to assist someone, where appropriate they should ask for permission.
3. Communicate RespectfullyDiving is a fun, social activity that encourages camaraderie. Keeping it light can put students and divers at ease and reduce potential anxiety. Be sure you know and respect the line of professionalism. Even casual, well-intentioned comments can potentially offend and cause anxiety that can carry into the dive. Some remarks are blatantly inappropriate, such as vulgarity or sexually themed jokes. Similarly, nonverbal communication can speak loudly.
A one-off incident can constitute harassment. All incidents of harassment require employers or the Dive Crew to respond quickly and appropriately.
Our Response to HarassmentIf you are a staff member, customer or merely visiting and you feel that someone harasses you, or makes you feel uncomfortable you do not have to deal with it. Report it to one of the Dive Crew and that person will take action to make you safe. This may involve them being sent off their trip or course, isolated or in extreme cases ending the activity. Be aware that we will not tolerate inappropriate behaviour from anyone.
If you are a staff member and someone harasses you or makes you feel uncomfortable, discuss it with the management team in the first instance we will discuss with you at that time how you want to deal with it and ensure that your concerns are addressed.
Our general response to any harassment claim towards one of our staff will be investigation and if found or substantiated, dismissal. We are an inclusive workplace and believe that everyone has a right to work in a harassment free environment.
Morgan AndrewsDirector
Last Reviewed on 1 March 20221st Drafted January 2019.
Our Policy on Harassment:Jervis Bay Sea Sports is committed to providing an environment that is free of harassment and discrimination where staff, students, customers and visitors are treated with dignity, curtesy and respect as is their legal right.
What is HarassmentBe aware that harassment is not limited to other workers, as we deal with everyone in the community, our workers, customers, visitors and even just other people are covered by our policy.
Harassment can include behaviour such as:
telling insulting jokes about particular racial groupssending explicit or sexually suggestive emails or text messagesmaking derogatory comments or taunts about someone’s raceasking intrusive questions about someone’s personal life, including his or her sex life.
The law also has specific provisions relating to certain types of harassment.
Sexual harassment is any unwanted or unwelcome sexual behaviour where a reasonable person would have anticipated the possibility that the person harassed would feel offended, humiliated or intimidated. It has nothing to do with mutual attraction or consensual behaviour.Harassment and discrimination linked to the disability or medical conditions of a person or their associate is against the law.Offensive behaviour based on racial hatred is against the law. Racial hatred is defined as something done in public that offends, insults, humiliates or intimidates a person or group of people because of their race, colour or national or ethnic origin. Our GuidelinesIn order to implement our Harassment Policy our staff must follow these guidelines on their behaviour.
1. Recognise their role and responsibilityBe aware of their supervisory role. As in most employment and educational settings, an instructor-student, or dive supervisor-diver relationship naturally includes the potential for taking advantage of a person in the dependent position. Understand that the person you teach or supervise is depending on you for that service. To make advances toward someone they are instructing, or supervising can easily be perceived as taking advantage of their position.
2. Limit Physical TouchingOnly keep physical contact with divers that relate to safety, adequate control and reassurance. Where possible let others know what to expect. Also, direct students and customers to adjust their own gear and have buddies help each other, which helps them learn and reinforces teamwork while reducing the chance for unintentional unwanted contact by our staff. If this is not possible, if they do need to assist someone, where appropriate they should ask for permission.
3. Communicate RespectfullyDiving is a fun, social activity that encourages camaraderie. Keeping it light can put students and divers at ease and reduce potential anxiety. Be sure you know and respect the line of professionalism. Even casual, well-intentioned comments can potentially offend and cause anxiety that can carry into the dive. Some remarks are blatantly inappropriate, such as vulgarity or sexually themed jokes. Similarly, nonverbal communication can speak loudly.
A one-off incident can constitute harassment. All incidents of harassment require employers or the Dive Crew to respond quickly and appropriately.
Our Response to HarassmentIf you are a staff member, customer or merely visiting and you feel that someone harasses you, or makes you feel uncomfortable you do not have to deal with it. Report it to one of the Dive Crew and that person will take action to make you safe. This may involve them being sent off their trip or course, isolated or in extreme cases ending the activity. Be aware that we will not tolerate inappropriate behaviour from anyone.
If you are a staff member and someone harasses you or makes you feel uncomfortable, discuss it with the management team in the first instance we will discuss with you at that time how you want to deal with it and ensure that your concerns are addressed.
Our general response to any harassment claim towards one of our staff will be investigation and if found or substantiated, dismissal. We are an inclusive workplace and believe that everyone has a right to work in a harassment free environment.
Morgan AndrewsDirector
Last Reviewed on 1 March 20221st Drafted January 2019.