STAFF & VOLUNTEER GENERAL RESPONSIBILITIES

POLICY STATEMENT

Saints Performing Arts is committed to providing a discrimination-free environment for corps members, program participants, employees, contractors, volunteers, and alumni at every Saints affiliated function, program, activity, and event. In keeping with this commitment, the Saints will not tolerate harassment of any corps members, employees, contractors, volunteers, or alumni.

GENERAL RESPONSIBILITIES

All Staff, volunteers, and members are expected to monitor and uphold the rules, policies and philosophies of the Corps and be role models for our Members at all times. Therefore, our responsibilities are governed by the highest standards of conduct and professionalism on and off the field. You are expected to set a positive example at all times and at all Protected Locations, not only when actively teaching, but before and after rehearsals, during the set-up, clean-up and inspection of facilities, and during breaks and days off.

All Staff, and volunteers are expected to support the actions of the Board of Directors, the Director, the Assistant Director, and all other Staff. Any concerns or grievances must be communicated to your caption heads, the Corps Director, Assistant Director or other administrative personnel (depending upon which level you deem most appropriate) and resolved.

SPECIFIC POLICIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Special care must be taken in the operations and governance of organizations in which young people are involved. Dealing with young people requires us to be consistent in our treatment of them and requires us to be vigilant in maintaining a positive and trusting environment. While it is impossible to foresee all possible situations, there are some behaviors that are universally unacceptable.

NON-DISCRIMINATION AND EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY

The Corps provides equal employment/consulting opportunities to all persons without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, or veteran status, in accordance with applicable federal, state and local laws. This policy applies with respect to all terms and conditions of employment, including hiring, compensation, benefits, layoffs, and termination.

The Corps seeks to create an atmosphere free of discrimination and harassment in any and all forms. To this end, the Corps expressly prohibits any form of unlawful harassment based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, or veteran status. All Staff are responsible for assuring that the Corps’ workplaces, including all Protected Locations, are free from harassment or discrimination of all kinds. Improper interference with the ability of the Corps’ Staff to perform their expected job duties in a healthy and safe environment will not be tolerated.

CRIMINAL VIOLATIONS

The arrest of any Staff for any criminal offense – whether while with the Corps or not is to be reported immediately to the Corps Director.  An arrest is a ground for review and protective action, including termination of your relationship with the Corps.

TOBACCO, ALCOHOL, AND DRUGS

The Corps’ position is that certain personal activities are detrimental to the user and could be detrimental to others in the user’s vicinity.  In additional those activities do not set a good example to others or reflect well on the Corps. For those reasons, the Corps prohibits the following activities at all times at Protected Locations (a “Protected Location” is any physical location at which and during the time that a Corps activity is being conducted including, but not limited to, land, buildings and vehicles of any kind.  For example, Protected Locations include practice and performance camps, schools, hotels, houses, houses of worship, busses, cars, trucks, trains and airplanes while a Corps activity is being conducted at that location. The foregoing list is not intended to be exhaustive but merely illustrative:

  • Vaping;
  • Tobacco use of any kind
  • Possession, distribution, or use of drugs not prescribed for the user by a professional licensed to do so (that includes all controlled substances, such as but not limited to marijuana, cocaine, amphetamines, tranquilizers, crack, barbiturates, diet pills, all other narcotics, as well as products that are generally regarded as legal for the use for which they are sold but are misused to generate euphoria, a high or mind alteration or other sensory change);
  • Consumption of alcoholic beverages if illegal for the person involved at the Protected Location during corps activites.  Notwithstanding this conditional limitation, the permitted consumption of alcoholic beverages will be limited to persons of legal age and will not be done in excess.

The foregoing rules on tobacco, alcohol, and drugs are in place from the moment you begin your trip from your home to any Protected Location, until the moment you arrive home,  The rules are also in place continuously each weekend and or while on the road with the Corps through Championships.

CONTRABAND

The possession of contraband by Staff and Corps Members is prohibited. As used here, “contraband” includes any item or material that poses a risk of harm to any individual – whether or not associated with the Corps. “Contraband” includes but is not limited to weapons, flammable or explosive substances, firearms or ammunition, fireworks, controlled substances, and toxic substances. Contraband will be immediately seized, and appropriate disciplinary action will be taken in the sole discretion of the Corps Director.

ATTIRE

With an understanding of the role we play in the lives of our Members, it is important Staff dress in a professional manner. During the heat of the summer it is understood this may mean a clean pair of shorts and a T-shirt (most of the time). However, when we are associated with the Corps in public, it is imperative our Staff be viewed in the same image we want for our performing ensemble. Staff are professionals, and our dress is expected to reflect that status, as well as our pride in our Members. Clean, weather appropriate clothing is expected.

POLICY STATEMENT ON HARASSMENT

The Corps is committed to creating and maintaining a positive and healthy atmosphere for its Members, Staff and volunteers. Essential to this is an environment that is free from any form or threat of harassment. Harassment is a form of discrimination and includes any conduct that adversely affects a positive learning environment, including but not limited to actions or comments that are sexual in nature, violent or threatening violence, hazing, or demeaning, that the perpetrator knew, or reasonably should have known, would be unwelcome. Harassment leads to adverse impacts to the person(s) experiencing harassment as well as those around them, and negatively impacts the camaraderie we value.

Harassment can take many forms, but generally involves conduct, comments, or display that is insulting, intimidating, humiliating, hurtful, demeaning, belittling, malicious, degrading or otherwise causes offense, injury or potential injury, discomfort, personal humiliation or embarrassment to a person or group of persons.

The Corps expressly prohibits harassment of any kind under any and all circumstances.

SEXUAL HARASSMENT

The Corps has adopted the definitions and policies of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission as to sexual harassment. Sexual harassment includes unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature when:

  • Submission to such is made either directly or indirectly a term or condition of employment, consulting, volunteer or participation decisions affecting a Staff person or Member;
  • Submission to or rejection of such conduct is used as the basis for employment, consulting, volunteer or participation decisions affecting a Staff person or Member;

Such conduct has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with a Staff person’s or Member’s routine performance, or creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive working or learning environment.

The following are some examples of conduct that may be considered sexual harassment and, therefore, are prohibited by this policy:

  • Repeated unwelcome and offensive sexual flirtations, advances or propositions;
  • Verbal or written abuse of sexual nature;
  • Graphic verbal or written commentaries about a person’s body or behaviors;
  • Display of sexually suggestive objects or pictures;
  • Continued or repeated suggestive sexual comments or remarks;
  • Insults, humor or jokes about a person’s sex, gender, sexual orientation or traits relating to sex;
  • Continued or repeated touching, pinching or brushing a person’s body.

Sexual harassment does not refer to occasional, socially acceptable compliments. It refers to behavior that is unwelcome, personally offensive or sufficiently severe or repeated so that it alters the conditions of employment or learning or creates an abusive or unproductive environment.

HAZING

Hazing is expressly prohibited by the Corps under all circumstances and between and among our Staff and Members.

Hazing includes, but is not limited to:

  • Any direct or indirect action or inaction that causes or poses a risk of harm to the mental or physical health or safety of one or more people;
  • Subjecting or encouraging any person to commit an act or omission for the purpose of causing shame, abuse, insult, humiliation, intimidation or disgrace; or
  • Any physical assault or battery, or threat thereof.

BULLYING

Bullying will not be tolerated. In this context, “bullying” includes actions, whether threatened or real, towards or against any individual or group, whether by actions, words, gestures, symbols, or verbal or physical intimidation of any kind. It is designed to intimidate, embarrass, coerce, or shame an individual or group. Bullying is utterly inconsistent with who we are and what we strive to be.

STAFF AND MEMBER RELATIONS

It is the policy of the Corps to prohibit any inappropriate interaction between Staff and Members at all times and under all circumstances, as well as the appearance of inappropriate interactions.

One-on-one contact between Staff, and Members is expressly prohibited. In situations requiring an individual or personal conference, such as a meeting to discuss disciplinary or medical issues, the meeting is to be conducted with the prior knowledge of and in clear view of other adult Staff.

Romantic and sexual relationships between a Staff person and a Member not married to each other, regardless of their ages, is expressly prohibited, unless there is a pre-existing relationship and both parties are over 18 years old.

Staff and Members should be aware of unintentionally or inadvertently invading the privacy of other individuals with video, picture and audio recording devices. The use of any device capable of recording or transmitting visual images in or near showers, locker rooms, restrooms, or other areas where privacy is expected is expressly prohibited.

All Staff persons must immediately report to local authorities any good-faith suspicion or belief that any Member is or has been physically or sexually abused, physically or emotionally neglected, exposed to any form of violence or threat, exposed to any form of sexual exploitation including the possession, manufacture, or distribution of child pornography, online solicitation, enticement, or showing of obscene material. This is a non-delegable duty that cannot be delegated or passed along to any other person.

Staff shall immediately report any such good-faith suspicion or belief, as well as any other violation of any policy of the Corps to the Director, Assistant Director or any member of the Board of Directors of the Corps. 

Any violation of this policy will be a ground for immediate and summary disciplinary action by the Corps in its sole and absolute discretion and may include immediate and summary dismissal from the Corps.

DUTY TO REPORT VIOLATIONS

It is the affirmative obligation of all Staff , Volunteers, and Members to immediately report in good faith any violation of the law or of the policies of the Corps to either the Director, Assistant Director, or any member of the Board of Directors. Should circumstances prevent such immediate reporting, any violation shall be reported as soon as reasonably possible.

Upon receiving any such report, appropriate action shall be taken to protect the health, welfare and rights of the reporting parties, supervisors, witnesses, and any other individuals involved. The nature of the complaint, the identity of the reporting party, and any other individuals involved shall be kept confidential until the matter is reviewed by the Director or the Chair of the Board of Directors.

The Corps shall take any and all measures appropriate to investigate any violation of law or of the policies of the Corps, including conducting interviews of the individuals involved and witnesses to any reported prohibited conduct, and review of written and electronic communications tendered for review. Should a complaint be substantiated, disciplinary action in the sole and absolute discretion of the  Director or the Board of Directors shall be taken, up to and including termination of the individual’s relationship with the Corps and reporting the incident to appropriate law enforcement officials.

Similarly, false reporting will also not be tolerated. Should it be determined after appropriate investigation that an allegation was brought based upon revenge, anger, dislike or any other improper motive, the individual or individuals making the false report will be subject to immediate disciplinary action in the sole discretion of the Director or the Board of Directors.

NO RETALIATION – WHISTLEBLOWER POLICY

Retaliation against any Director, employee, student, parent, volunteer, agent, contractor or supporter of the Corps who raises concerns regarding potential violation of the law or of the Corps’ standards of conduct is prohibited. Retaliation against any individual for the good faith reporting of real or potential compliance and policy violations is cause for immediate and appropriate actions, up to and including summary dismissal from the Corps in its sole discretion.

No Director, employee, contractor, subcontractor, or agent of the Corps shall discharge, demote, suspend, threaten, harass, or in any other manner knowingly and intentionally discriminate against any individual in the terms and conditions of their relationship with the Corps because of any act done by the individual:

To provide information, cause information to be provided, or otherwise assist in an investigation regarding any conduct which the reporter reasonably believes constitutes a violation of state or federal law applicable to the Corps or the Corps’ policies and procedures, when the information or assistance is provided to, or the investigation is conducted by:

any state or federal regulatory or law enforcement agency;

any lawfully constituted investigative body; or

a person with supervisory authority over the individual or such other person working for the Corps who has the authority to investigate, discover, or discipline misconduct; or

To file, cause to be filed, testify, participate in, or otherwise assist in a proceeding filed or about to be filed relating to an alleged violation of state or federal law applicable to the Corps.

Reports of real or potential violations of law or violations of the policies and procedures of the Corps shall be reported to the Director or the Chair of the Board of Directors, who shall take immediate action as deemed necessary and appropriate in their sole discretion to protect the health and welfare of the Members and all individuals associated with the Corps, up to and including reporting of the incident to appropriate law enforcement authorities.

BACKGROUND CHECKS, AND CERTIFICATION

Before you participate in any competitions, travel events, or off-site activities with the Corps, you will be subject to a criminal record check and must complete Boy Scouts of America Youth Protection Certification every two years. This is a mandatory requirement of the Corps. Your relationship with the Corps will be determined after the criminal record check is completed, BSA Youth Protection Certification received, reviewed and your association with the Corps approved. You have the right to a copy of the criminal record, the right to submit any additional information for consideration, such as a teacher certification, and the right to contest the results of the criminal record.

Upon request, a prospective employee or independent contractor shall complete the form entitled “Authorization to Release Information and Records.” The release should be submitted to the designated representative of the Corps for retention in the prospective employee’s personnel file.

The prospective Staff person will be notified by a designated representative of the Corps of the results of the investigation by phone, e-mail, or letter, and a document verifying notification will be placed in the prospective employee’s personnel file. The Release and the results of any background check will be kept strictly confidential by the Corps.

 

Whistleblower Reporting Form

    We value and respect your privacy and take all claims seriously. In order to help with our investigation please try to provide enough detail in your claim to allow an independent investigation to occur. For example, it is helpful to know when the event happened and if you spoke with anyone else regarding your experience. If you choose to remain anonymous, we are unable to ask you any follow up questions, and can only investigate based on the information you provide. You must enter text below before you can submit.