LOS ANGELES COUNTY
DEPARTMENT OF MENTAL HEALTH
  Policy 605.02 Harassment
 
  PROCEDURES
PROCEDURE

Internal DMH Reporting
 
  1. Any LAC-DMH employee who believes that she or he has been subjected to conduct that violates this policy is strongly encouraged to report the issue to management. The employee should try to report the incident to his or her immediate supervisor or manager, but, depending on the circumstances, may instead report it to any supervisor or manager.
     
  2. Any non-supervisory LAC-DMH employee who has any knowledge of conduct that violates this policy is strongly encouraged to report the matter to management. The employee should try to report the incident to his or her immediate supervisor or manager, but, depending on the circumstances, may also report it to any supervisor or manager.
     
  3. Supervisors and managers should immediately report any violation of this policy to the Human Resources Bureau.

External Reporting
 
  1. Any LAC-DMH employee who believes that she or he has been subjected to conduct that violates this policy, or has witnessed conduct that violates this policy, may (in addition to reporting the matter to management) report the matter to the following agencies:
 
  1. L.A. County Office of Affirmative Action Compliance (OAAC): (213) 974-1251
     
  2. California Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH): (800) 884-1684 or on the web at www.dfeh.ca.gov
     
  3. Federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) (213) 894-1000, (800) 669-4000, or on the web at www.eeoc.gov
 
  1. For more information regarding the Fair Employment and Housing Act, the federal anti-discrimination statutes, DMH employees may refer to the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing's web site www.dfeh.ca.gov
     
  2. The OAAC will promptly and thoroughly investigate all harassment, discrimination and retaliation complaints. DMH will take immediate corrective action as may be warranted by the investigation and the circumstances of the incident. All LAC-DMH employees are expected to cooperate fully in all such investigations.
     
  3. If the investigation determines that behaviors violated this policy regarding harassment, discrimination, retaliation or inappropriate conduct towards others, the County will communicate the disposition to the complainant, to the offender, and to any other person on a need-to-know basis.
On the other hand, if the investigation determines that no policy violation occurred regarding harassment, discrimination, retaliation or inappropriate conduct towards others the County will similarly communicate this finding to the complainant, to alleged offender, and to any other person on a need-to-know basis, and will make this finding a part of the record of the investigation.


Responsibilities of the Department Head
 
  1. Based on LAC-DMH policy, the Department Head shall be responsible for promoting a work environment free from harassment, discrimination, retaliation and inappropriate conduct towards others covered by this policy.The Department Head or his or her designee is specifically required to do the following:
 
  1. Disseminate this policy to every employee in the department.
     
  2. Ensure that all supervisory personnel comply with this policy and are held accountable for their failure or neglect to comply with this policy.
     
  3. Adopt a process for promptly responding to and resolving all complaints about harassment, discrimination, retaliation and other inappropriate conduct and communicate the details about this process to employees.

Responsibilities of County Managers and Supervisory Personnel

 
  1. Managers and supervisory personnel shall also be responsible for promoting a work environment free from harassment, discrimination, retaliation and other inappropriate conduct towards others covered by this policy. Each manager and supervisor is specifically required to do the following:
 
  1. Advise all employees under their supervision regarding LAC-DMH policy against harassment, discrimination, retaliation and other inappropriate conduct towards others.
     
  2. Ensure that all personnel decisions regarding complaints of harassment, discrimination, retaliation and other inappropriate conduct towards others are made in accordance with this policy.
     
  3. Take corrective action as may be warranted by the circumstances.