IEEE Policy on Nondiscrimination

IEEE is committed to the principle that all persons shall have equal access to programs, facilities, services, and employment without regard to personal characteristics not related to ability, performance, or qualifications as determined by IEEE policy and/or applicable laws. 

IEEE prohibits discrimination, harassment and bullying against any person because of age, ancestry, color, disability or handicap, national origin, race, religion, gender, sexual or affectional orientation, gender identity, appearance, matriculation, political affiliation, marital status, veteran status or any other characteristic protected by law.  IEEE expects that its employees, volunteers, members, and other constituents of the IEEE, when and where ever those individuals are conducting IEEE business or participating in IEEE events or activities, shall maintain an environment free of discrimination, including harassment, bullying, or retaliation.

Definitions:

Discrimination is defined as treating people differently, either preferentially or with adverse impact, because they have similar characteristics or because they are from specific groups, unless differential treatment is reasonable, essential and directly related to conducting IEEE business.

Harassment is one form of discrimination.  Harassment is defined as conduct that has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with an individual's participation in IEEE activities or creating an intimidating, hostile or offensive environment.  Harassment occurs when submission to or rejection of such conduct is made either explicitly or implicitly a term or condition of an individual's participation in IEEE activities or used as a basis for decisions affecting that individual’s relationship to the IEEE. 

Bullying is one form of harassment.  Bullying consists of waging an ongoing and systematic campaign of interpersonal destruction against an individual or group of individuals that a reasonable person would find hostile, offensive and unrelated to an IEEE’s legitimate business interests on the basis of one of the protected classes above.  It tends to be an accumulation of many incidences over a long period of time, including treatment which persistently provokes, pressures, frightens, intimidates or otherwise discomforts another person.

Retaliation is defined as punitive actions taken against persons for exercising their employee or other rights under the laws in good faith, reporting violations of the laws to the proper authorities (i.e. “whistle-blowing”) and/or participating in administrative or legal proceedings as a plaintiff. complainant or witness.

Mediation and Enforcement:

The IEEE Human Resources Department shall have the primary responsibility for oversight of this policy including resolving complaints of discrimination, harassment, bullying, and retaliation.  Any person who believes that he or she has been the victim of illegal discrimination or harassment should contact IEEE Staff Director – Human Resources, at nondiscrimination@ieee.org or +1 732 465 6434.  The mailing address is IEEE Human Resources, 445 Hoes Lane, Piscataway, NJ, USA.

An investigation shall be conducted to reach a determination on the merits of allegations.  Such an investigation may be conducted by IEEE staff, legal counsel, volunteers, private investigators or other individuals deemed qualified to do so. If there is evidence of discrimination, harassment, bullying, and/or retaliation, IEEE shall make every reasonable effort to ensure the discrimination, harassment, bullying or retaliation immediately stops and does not recur.  The complainant shall be informed of the corrective measures taken.  Disciplinary sanctions for violation of policy, which may range from disciplinary warning to termination or expulsion from IEEE, will be imposed in accordance with applicable IEEE policies. The IEEE President shall be informed of all allegations.  If the complaint is against the IEEE President then the IEEE Board of Directors shall be informed.

IEEE prohibits retaliation and discourages any behavior that might be perceived as retaliatory in nature.  Retaliation shall constitute a separate violation and may result in a sanction independent of the outcome of a complaint.