About Us
Dance Hub SA is South Australia’s home of Independent Dance.
Respectful Behaviour Policy
INTRODUCTION
At Dance Hub South Australia (Dance Hub SA) we are committed to providing a work environment
which is pleasant for employees to work in and which is conducive to good workplace relations.
This policy is aimed at ensuring that employees are not subjected to any unwanted workplace
harassment. Harassment in the workplace decreases productivity, increases absenteeism, and is
also against the law. For these reasons harassment will not be tolerated at the Dance Hub SA.
WHAT IS WORKPLACE HARASSMENT?
The most common form of workplace harassment is sexual harassment. Sexual harassment is
behaviour of a sexual nature which is unwelcome and has the effect of offending, intimidating
or humiliating the person being harassed. Sexual harassment most often happens against
women, but men can also be subjected to sexual harassment.
Workplace harassment can also be based on race, disability, age, pregnancy, marital status,
homosexuality, transgender, or HIV/AIDS status.
Harassment in the workplace can create an unpleasant or even hostile work environment.
Harassment makes work difficult for everyone – the person being harassed, as well as employees
witnessing the harassment. The harasser also is not concentrating on their work when he/she
engages in this type of behaviour.
Workplace harassment usually consists of a pattern of unwelcome behaviour; however, it can consist
of just one act where this is of a serious nature. Also, there is no requirement that the harasser
intend to offend or harm in order for it to be unlawful. All that is required under the law is that a
reasonable person would consider that the person being harassed would be offended, humiliated
or intimidated by the behaviour in question.
Remember the key element of sexual harassment is that it is unwelcome behaviour. It has nothing to
do with mutual attraction, or private, consenting friendships, whether sexual or not.
EXAMPLES OF UNLAWFUL HARASSMENT:
• inappropriate comments about a person’s body or appearance;
• inappropriate or staring at a person or parts of their body;
• tales of sexual performance;
• persistent, unwelcome proposals of marriage;
• gender-based insults or taunting;
• sexist or racist jokes;
• pornographic or posters in the workplace;
• homophobic material displayed a the notice board;
• homophobic abuse;
• verbal or written abuse directed at a transgender person;
• touching a person in a sexual way;
• sexual assault (criminal offence);• “flashing” (criminal offence);
• obscene telephone calls (criminal offence);
• asking questions about a person’s sex life;
• unwanted confidences about a person’s sex life or lack thereof;
• persistent requests for a night out where these are rejected
• requests for sex where these are unwelcome
In some instances, the harassment might take place outside the workplace: the office Christmas party for example, or when a worker makes unwelcome phone calls to another worker at their home or follows them home from work.
If you go to another workplace to do your work there, it is also against the law to harass someone who is working there.
Dance Hub SA recognises that workplace harassment may involve comments and behaviours which offend some people and not others.
The management of Dance Hub SA accepts that individuals may react differently to comments and behaviour. That is why a
minimum standard of behaviour is required of all workers which, as far as possible, is respectful of all workers.
Are you suffering harassment?
If you believe that you are being harassed there are a number of important steps you should take:
• Tell the person that their behaviour is unacceptable, and that it must stop. It is important to say these things to the harasser otherwise they may interpret your silence
as consent. If you would feel too uncomfortable saying these things to the harasser, this will not mean that you don’t have a valid claim.
• Report the behaviour or incident to a member of the administration staff or a designated board member.
• Keep your complaint confidential – this will avoid idle gossip and the possibility of defamation proceedings against you or the organisation.
What will the company do?
Dance Hub SA has a legal responsibility to take reasonable steps to prevent harassment from happening in the workplace. This involves educating workers about harassment, putting in place this policy, implementing grievance procedures and ensuring compliance by
all in the workforce.
If you make a complaint of workplace harassment it will be taken very seriously and will be dealt with sympathetically and in a confidential manner. The complaint will be investigated and, if found to be proved, appropriate warnings or other disciplinary action will be taken
against the harasser.
You will not be victimised or treated unfairly for making a complaint.
If you are not satisfied with the way in which your complaint has been dealt with by the organisation, you can seek further advice from an outside agency such as the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission or the Anti-Discrimination Board.
If you need more information….
If you need any more information about workplace harassment the following people can help you:
• DHSA Artistic Director
• DHSA Board Member
