American Board of Urology Meetings and Examinations Expected Behavior and Anti- Harassment Policy
Scope: This policy applies to all ABU Trustees, examiners, volunteers and employees of the organization.
Background:
The American Board of Urology (ABU) promotes an environment of collegiality, respect, fairness, integrity, and inclusiveness. Section C of the Working Policy Summary further sets out expectations for professionalism and enumerates a number of virtues including justice, honesty, competence, and impartiality. This ABU Meetings and Examinations Anti-Harassment Policy promotes ABU’s values by defining the expectations for all participants at any ABU meeting, examination or related social events. When used in this policy, “participant” refers to anyone present at any ABU meeting, examination or event, including all Trustees, volunteers, examiners, applicants, examinees, speakers, staff, contractors, and vendors. This policy applies to all meetings and examinations hosted by ABU and all venues and events, including all ancillary or unofficial social events held in conjunction with any ABU meeting or examination.
Definitions:
“Harassment” is unwelcome conduct that is based on race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), national origin, age, disability or genetic information. Harassment becomes unlawful where (i) enduring the offensive conduct becomes a condition of continued employment; or (ii) the conduct is severe or pervasive enough to create a work environment that a reasonable person would consider intimidating, hostile, or abusive.(https://www.eeoc.gov/harassment)
“Sexual Harassment” includes unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical harassment of a sexual nature. This conduct constitutes Sexual Harassment when it explicitly or implicitly affects an individual’s employment, unreasonably interferes with an individual’s work performance, or creates an intimidating, hostile, or offensive work environment. (https://www.eeoc.gov/sexual-harassment)
Expected Behavior
- ABU expects all participants at every ABU meeting, examination and event to behave responsibly and professionally and to abide by this Policy. In addition, ABU expects participants to comply with the following:
- Responsible alcohol consumption: Participants at all ABU-related events are expected to drink alcoholic beverages responsibly. ABU and event staffs have the right to deny service to participants for any reason and may require a participant to leave the event.
- Safety and security: Participants should alert ABU or meeting staff if they notice a dangerous situation or someone in distress.
- Treatment of others: Participants are expected to exercise professionalism, consideration, and respect in their speech and actions and must refrain from demeaning, discriminatory, or harassing behavior and speech. Participants who experience or witness harassment or discriminatory or demeaning behavior are expected to report the concerns as provided below.
Unacceptable Behavior
ABU will not tolerate harassment, including sexual harassment, by any participant at any ABU meeting or examination. Unacceptable behaviors include, but are not limited to:
• Offensive jokes, slurs, epithets or name calling, ridicule or mockery, insults or put-downs, offensive objects or pictures or other non-collegial interactions of communications.
• Intimidating, harassing, abusive, discriminatory, derogatory or demeaning speech or actions by any participant in any ABU meeting, examination or related events and in one-on-one communication carried out in the context of any ABU meetings or examination.
• Harmful or prejudicial verbal or written comments or visual images related to gender, sexual orientation, race, religion, disability, age, appearance, or other personal characteristics.
• Deliberate intimidation, stalking, or following.
• Harassing photography or recording.
• Sustained disruption of talks or other events.
• Physical assault (including unwelcome touch or groping or violation of personal space).
• Real or implied threat of physical harm.
• Real or implied threat of professional or financial damage or harm.
• Unwelcome and uninvited attention or contact with another participant.
• Discussing sexual activity.
• Verbal or written comments or visual images that are sexually suggestive or that denigrates or shows hostility or aversion toward an individual, or group of individuals, and that creates an intimidating, hostile, or offensive environment, or that unreasonably interferes with an individual’s ability to participate in an ABU meeting or examination.
• Inappropriate, unnecessary, or irrelevant use of nudity and/or sexual images in public spaces, including presentation slides.
Consequences of Unacceptable Behavior
Unacceptable behavior from any participant at any ABU meeting, examination or related event will not be tolerated. If a participant engages in unacceptable behavior, ABU may take any action that it deems appropriate, including exclusion from particular events, meetings or examinations or removal from the event or venue at which the harassment occurred. Violations will be referred to the ABU Executive Committee and an ad hoc Subcommittee of the Credentials Committee and may result in exclusion from future meetings, volunteer opportunities, examinations and other related activities. Additional action will be addressed by the Executive Committee of the ABU.
Reporting Unacceptable Behavior
If you are being harassed, notice that someone else is being harassed, or have any other concerns, please contact:
Brantley Thrasher, M.D. (Executive Director)
600 Peter Jefferson Parkway, Suite 150 Charlottesville, VA 22911
(434) 979-0059 main
brant@abu.org
or
Lindsay Franklin (Executive Assistant/Director of Operations)
(434) 220-7601 direct
lindsay@abu.org
Upon notice, the goal of the ABU is to provide a prompt, thorough, and impartial investigation. The ABU forbids any retaliation (even the appearance of any retaliation) against individuals who brings forth allegations of harassment or unacceptable behavior. Throughout the process, to the extent possible, the ABU will maintain confidentiality for all parties and witnesses involved.
