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Anti-Bullying Policy

Little Lake Theatre Anti-Bullying Policy

LLT expects all employees and volunteers to treat each other, patrons, and visitors with dignity and respect. 

LLT will not tolerate bullying behavior. Bullying is the repeated health-harming mistreatment of one or more people by one or more perpetrators. 

It is abusive conduct that includes:

  • Threatening, humiliating or intimidating behaviors.
  • Work interference/sabotage that prevents work from getting done.
  • Verbal abuse.

LLT considers the following types of behavior to be examples of bullying:

  • Verbal bullying. Slandering, ridiculing or maligning a person or his or her family; persistent name-calling that is hurtful, insulting or humiliating; using a person as the butt of jokes; abusive and offensive remarks.
  • Physical bullying. Pushing, shoving, kicking, poking, tripping, assault or threat of physical assault, damage to a person's work area or property.
  • Gesture bullying. Nonverbal gestures that can convey threatening messages.
  • Exclusion. Socially or physically excluding or disregarding a person in theatre-related activities.

In addition, the following examples may constitute or contribute to evidence of bullying in the workplace:

  • Persistent singling out of one person.
  • Shouting or raising one's voice at an individual in public or in private.
  • Using obscene or intimidating gestures.
  • Not allowing the person to speak or express himself of herself (i.e., ignoring or interrupting).
  • Personal insults and use of offensive nicknames.
  • Public humiliation in any form.
  • Constant criticism on matters unrelated or minimally related to the person's job performance or position description.
  • Public reprimands.
  • Repeatedly accusing someone of errors that cannot be documented.
  • Deliberately interfering with mail and other communications.
  • Spreading rumors and gossip regarding individuals.
  • Encouraging others to disregard a supervisor's instructions.
  • Manipulating the ability of someone to do his or her work (e.g., overloading, underloading, withholding information, setting deadlines that cannot be met, giving deliberately ambiguous instructions).
  • Assigning menial tasks not in keeping with the normal responsibilities of the position.
  • Taking credit for another person's ideas.
  • Deliberately excluding an individual or isolating him or her from theatre-related activities, such as meetings.
  • Unwanted physical contact, physical abuse or threats of abuse to an individual or an individual's property (defacing or marking up property).

Any employee or volunteer who believes that he or she has been subjected to any type of bullying at LLT should bring this matter to the immediate attention of the Managing and/or Artistic Director before the conduct becomes severe or pervasive. All employees and volunteers are strongly encouraged to report any bullying conduct they experience or witness as soon as possible to allow LLT to take appropriate action. If for any reason an individual does not feel comfortable talking with the Managing and/or Artistic Director about the complaint, the individual may address the issue with an officer of LLT or member of the Board of Directors. Retaliation against employees or volunteers who use these reporting mechanisms to raise genuine concerns will not be tolerated.

Any individual pursing any such complaint is assured that such complaints will be treated in as confidential a manner as possible and will be immediately investigated. However, depending upon the circumstances, absolute confidentiality may be impossible to guarantee in order to complete a thorough investigation of any allegations and to take corrective action, should any bullying be proven to have occurred. If bullying is found to exist, appropriate action will be taken. Those individuals who are found to have engaged in any type of bullying will be subject to corrective action, up to and including termination of their employment or volunteer status with LLT.

Workplace Violence Prevention Policy

LLT is committed to preventing workplace violence and to maintaining a safe work and volunteer environment.

All employees, volunteers, patrons and visitors should be treated with courtesy and respect at all times. Employees are expected to refrain from fighting, "horseplay" or other conduct that may be dangerous to others. Conduct that threatens, intimidates or coerces another employee, volunteer, patron, or visitor will not be tolerated. Further, LLT resources may not be used to threaten, stalk or harass anyone at or outside the workplace.

LLT encourages employees and volunteers to bring their disputes to the attention of the Managing Director before the situation escalates. LLT will not discipline employees for raising such concerns.

The below list provides examples of conduct that is prohibited but is not all inclusive:

  • Causing physical injury to another person.
  • Making threatening remarks.
  • Displaying aggressive or hostile behavior that creates a reasonable fear of injury to another person or subjects another individual to emotional distress.
  • Intentionally damaging LLT property or property of another employee or volunteer.
  • Possessing a weapon (other than those permitted by LLT for theatre purposes) while on theatre property.
  • Committing acts motivated by, or related to, sexual harassment or domestic violence

Any potentially dangerous situations must be reported immediately. In the event of imminent danger, call 911 and follow the Emergency Action Plan. When reporting a threat or incident of violence, be as specific and detailed as possible. Employees and volunteers should not place themselves in peril, nor should they attempt to intercede during an incident. LLT will contact law enforcement and actively intervene at any indication of a possibly hostile or violent situation.

Indirect or direct threats of violence, incidents of actual violence, and suspicious individuals or activities should be reported as soon as possible to the Managing and/or Artistic Director or, if neither are on site, the Performance Manager. Retaliation against employees or volunteers who use these reporting mechanisms to raise genuine concerns will not be tolerated. Such complaints will be treated in as confidential a manner as possible and will be immediately investigated. However, depending upon the circumstances, absolute confidentiality may be impossible to guarantee in order to complete a thorough investigation of any allegations and to take corrective action, should any violence be proven to have occurred. To maintain safety and the integrity of its investigation, LLT may suspend employees or volunteers suspected of workplace violence or threats of violence, either with or without pay, pending investigation.

Employees and volunteers should promptly inform the Managing Director of any protective or restraining order that they have obtained that lists the theatre and/or its grounds as a protected area. Employees and volunteers are encouraged to report safety concerns with regard to intimate partner violence. LLT is committed to supporting victims of intimate partner violence.

Anyone found to be responsible for threats of or actual violence or other conduct that is in violation of these guidelines will be subject to prompt disciplinary action up to and including termination of employment or volunteer privileges. Anyone engaged in violent acts on theatre premises will be reported to the proper authorities and fully prosecuted.