1)     Harassment is a form of discrimination. Harassment is prohibited by the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and by human rights legislation in every province and territory in Canada. 

2)     Harassment and abuse are offensive, degrading, and threatening. In their most extreme forms, harassment and abuse are offences under Canada’s Criminal Code. 

3)     Whether the harasser is a director, supervisor, coach, training staff member , official, volunteer, parent, or athlete, harassment, abuse and discrimination are attempts by one person to assert abusive, unwarranted power over another. 

4)     Football New Brunswick policy applies to all directors, volunteers, coaches, training staff members, athletes, officials . 

5)     This policy aims to both deter harassment, abuse, and discrimination, and to deal with cases promptly and objectively. 

6)     Every person who experiences harassment continues to have the right to seek assistance from their provincial human rights commission, even when steps are being taken under this Policy. 

DEFINITION 

7)     Harassment takes many forms but can generally be defined as comment, conduct, or gesture directed toward an individual or group of individuals, which is insulting, intimidating, humiliating, malicious, degrading, or offensive. 

8)     Types of behavior which constitute harassment include; 

a)     written or verbal abuse or threats;

b)     the display of visual material which is offensive;

c)     unwelcome remarks, jokes, comments, innuendo, or taunting about a person’s looks, body, attire, race, religion, sex, or sexual orientation;

d)     leering or other suggestive or obscene gestures;

e)     behavior which undermines self-esteem, or diminishes performance;

f)        unwanted physical contact;

g)     any form of hazing;

h)     physical or sexual assault. 

9)     For the purpose of this Policy, sexual harassment is defined as unwelcome sexual advances, request for sexual favors, or other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature. 

RESPONSIBILITY 

10) The implementation of this policy is the responsibility of Football New Brunswick directors. In addition, the Administrator ( President FNB ) is responsible for : 

a)     discouraging and preventing harassment within Football New Brunswick

b)     establishing an education program to ensure that all members of Football New Brunswick are aware of the problem of harassment, and sexual harassment in particular . 

DISCIPLINARY ACTION 

11) Members of Football New Brunswick against whom a complaint of harassment is substantiated may be severely disciplined, up to and including dismissal in cases where the harassment takes the form of assault, sexual assault, or a related sexual offence. 

CONFIDENTIALITY 

12) Football New Brunswick recognizes that it can be extremely difficult to come forward with a complaint and that it can be devastating to be wrongly accused of harassment and also recognizes the interest of both the Complainant and the Respondent in keeping the matter confidential. 

13) Any written documents pertaining to any matter dealt with under this Policy shall be retained by Football New Brunswick in a confidential file. 

14) Football New Brunswick shall not disclose to outside parties the name of the Complainant, the circumstances giving rise to a complaint, the name of the Respondent or any written document pertaining to a harassment matter except where such disclosure is required by law. 

COMPLAINT PROCEDURE 

15)    A person who experiences harassment is encouraged to make it known to the harasser that the behavior is unwelcome, offensive and contrary to this Policy. 

16) If confronting the harasser is not possible, or if after confronting the harasser the harassment continues, the Complainant  should request a meeting with a Director of Football New Brunswick. 

17) Once contacted by a Complainant the role of the Director is to serve in a neutral, unbiased capacity in receiving the complaint and assisting in its informal resolution. If the Director considers that they are unable to act in this capacity, the Complainant shall be referred to another Football New Brunswick Director. 

18) There are three possible outcomes to this meeting of Complainant and Director : 

a)     It may be determined that the conduct does not constitute harassment as defined in the Policy, which case the matter is closed;

b)     The Complainant may chose to pursue an informal resolution of the complaint, in which case the Director will assist the two parties to mediate an acceptable resolution;

c)     The Complainant may chose to make a formal written complaint to Football New Brunswick in which case the Director shall advise the Administrator, who may carry out an investigation of the complaint or appoint an independent individual to investigate the complaint. 

SANCTIONS 

19) When determining appropriate disciplinary sanctions, the following shall be considered: 

a)     the nature and severity of the harassment;

b)     whether the harassment involved any physical contact;

c)     the nature of the relationship between Complainant and Harasser;

d)     whether the harasser had been involved in previous incidents;

e)     whether the harasser admitted responsibility and expressed willingness to change;

f)       whether the harasser retaliated against the Complainant. 

AUTOMATIC SANCTIONS

20)  The President of FNB may determine that the alleged harassment is of such seriousness as to warrant suspension of the member pending the hearing and decision panel 

APPEAL PROCEDURE