Sexual harassment

We take sexual harassment very seriously. While we strongly condemn any form of harassment, we specifically want to give guidance on sexual harassment because it has a big impact on feeling safe, happy and included at Intempt.

We won’t tolerate sexual harassment at Intempt in any shape or form. Our culture is based on mutual respect, responsibility and freedom. Sexual harassment is a serious violation of those principles.

Sexual harassment can exhaust those who endure it. Speaking up about this issue is often tough for fear of not being heard, upsetting team leads and challenging corporate culture.

Please don’t let these fears deter you. Intempt will do everything possible to stop sexual harassment and any other kind of harassment from happening, while supporting harassed employees. We need to know what’s going on so we can act on it. By raising your voice on this issue, you help our company create a happy workplace and thrive.

Our principles

No one has the right to sexually harass you. Any person at Intempt who is found guilty of serious harassment will be terminated, whether they are C level or assistants. Also, if representatives of our contractors or vendors sexually harass our employees, we will demand that the company they work for takes disciplinary action and/or refuse to work with this person in the future.

Sexual harassment is never too minor to be dealt with. Any kind of harassment can wear you down and create a hostile workplace. We will hear every claim and take appropriate disciplinary actions.

Sexual harassment is about how we make others feel. Many do not consider behaviors like flirting or sexual comments to be sexual harassment, thinking they are too innocent to be labeled that way. But, if something you do makes your colleagues uncomfortable, or makes them feel unsafe, you must stop. Whether it is on or off Intempt premises.

We assume every sexual harassment claim is legitimate unless proven otherwise. We listen to victims of sexual harassment and always conduct our investigations properly. Occasional false reports do not undermine this principle.

We will not allow further victimization of harassed employees. We will fully support employees who were sexually harassed and will not take any adverse action against them. For example, we will not move them to positions with worse pay or benefits or allow others to retaliate against them.

Those who support or overlook sexual harassment are as much at fault as offenders. Leads and HR especially are obliged to prevent sexual harassment and act when they have suspicions or receive reports. Letting this behavior go on or encouraging it will bring about disciplinary action. Anyone who witnesses an incident of sexual harassment or has other kinds of proof should report to HR.

What’s not acceptable at Intempt

Sexual harassment has many forms of variable seriousness. A person sexually harasses someone when they:

Insinuate, propose or demand sexual favors of any kind.

Invade another person’s personal space (e.g. inappropriate touching).

Stalk, intimidate, coerce or threaten another person to get them to engage in sexual acts.

Send or display sexually explicit objects or messages.

Comment on someone’s looks, dress, sexuality or gender in a derogatory or objectifying manner or a manner that makes them uncomfortable.

Make obscene comments, jokes or gestures that humiliate or offend someone.

Pursue or flirt with another person persistently without the other person’s willing participation. Also, flirting with someone at an inappropriate time (e.g. in a team meeting) is considered sexual harassment, even when these advances would have been welcome in a different setting. This is because such actions can harm a person’s professional reputation and expose them to further harassment.

The most extreme form of sexual harassment is

sexual assault. ⁠

This is a serious crime and Intempt will support employees who want to press charges against offenders.

Inadvertent harassment

Sometimes, people who harass others do not realize that their behavior is wrong. We understand this is possible, but that doesn’t make the perpetrator any less responsible for their actions.

If you suspect that someone doesn’t realize their behavior is sexual harassment under the definition of this policy, let them know and ask them to stop. Do so preferably via email so you can have records. Please do not use this approach when:

Your lead, an upper manager, investor or customer is the perpetrator.

Sexual harassment goes beyond the boundaries of off-hand comments, flirting or jokes.

In the above cases, report to HR as soon as possible.

Disciplinary measures

Employees who are found guilty of sexual assault by a court of law will be terminated after the first complaint and investigation.

Employees who are found guilty by Intempt of sexual harassment (but not assault) the first time will be suspended for at least 2 weeks without pay.

We will terminate repeat offenders after the second claim against them if our investigation concludes they are indeed guilty.

We apply these disciplinary actions uniformly. Employees of any sexual orientation or other protected characteristics will be penalized the same way for the same offenses.

What you can expect from HR

When there is a complaint, HR and team lead will act immediately. You will stay in charge of the process and can decide how to move forward.

We will:

Inform you about our disciplinary procedures and your options.

Ask you to give us as many details and as much information as possible. It will help us investigate the matter to the best of our ability.

Launch a disciplinary process depending on the severity of the harassment. In cases of sexual assault or coercing someone to give sexual favours under threats, we will terminate the harasser immediately. We will terminate employees who are found guilty in a court of law of sexually assaulting another employee, even if HR has not conducted its own investigation.

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