Anti-Harassment
ANTI-HARRASSMENT POLICY:
Jinnah Medical College strives to create a space where all students and employees are treated with respect, dignity and decency and provide an environment which is free from all kinds of harassment, bullying, and discrimination. The significance of a safe environment is undeniable for students and employees to thrive in their educational and professional lives, respectively. As a result, an anti-harassment policy has been developed. Action will be taken after a thorough investigation against anyone found violating this policy, irrespective of their post and position in the college.
HARASSMENT:
For the purpose of this policy, harassment is any behavior or action that creates a hostile, offensive, or intimidating environment for a student or employee or interferes with a student’s or employee’s education or work performance. Harassment may be verbal, physical, or visual and may include, but is not limited to, the following behaviors:
- Unwanted sexual advances and threats or posing questions of an intimate nature.
- Physical threats or assault.
- Improper or unwanted touching.
- Outbursts of anger and destruction of property.
- Making offensive sounds or gestures toward someone.
- Distributing inappropriate sexual material or discriminatory photos, videos, or internet postings.
- Spreading malicious rumors to discredit someone.
- Sabotaging or interfering in the work of others.
- Singling someone out to do demeaning tasks unrelated to their job.
Derogatory comments or teasing someone for their heritage, religion or beliefs.
PROCEDURE FOR RESOLUTION:
REPORTING:
1. Any student or employee who believes they have experienced or witnessed harassment should file a written complaint to the harassment committee of the college immediately.
2. The harassment committee of Jinnah Medical College consists of four members as appointed by the competent authority in its meeting dated August 3, 2022.
3. The written complaint should contain the details of the incident, the alleged harasser, and any evidence available.
NO RETALIATION:
Jinnah Medical College prohibits retaliation against any employee who has reported harassment or who has participated in an investigation as a witness.
INVESTIGATION:
1. As soon as a complaint is received by one of the designated resources, it shall be shared by him or her (within 24 hours), with the rest of the committee members.
2. The committee will then start the process of investigation that involves interviewing the complainant, the alleged harasser and any witnesses to determine whether the alleged conduct occurred.
3. The inquiry committee will have to carry out the investigation within the time period of 30 days.
4. On the completion of the investigation process, the complaint will be either proven true or false by the committee, and a written report will be submitted to the appellate body in either case.
CONFIDENTIALITY:
All reports of harassment will be handled with confidentiality to the extent possible. However, the Harassment Committee may need to disclose information related to the investigation to conduct a thorough investigation.
ACTION BY THE APPELLATE BODY:
1. The appellate authority is the chairperson of the harassment committee. Appellate authority shall take appropriate disciplinary action, based on the report submitted by the inquiry committee.
2. In case if the complaint is proven true, the appellate authority will recommend a disciplinary action and the severity of it will depend on the seriousness of the complaint.
3. Either party can appeal against the decision of the committee within 30 days to the appellate authority; the appellate authority should give a decision within 30 days.
