Policy Management 
    
    Mar 28, 2024  
Policy Management
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HR 7.0 - Employee Relationships :


SUMMARY/SCOPE
Edmonds College, as an institution of higher education and steward of the public trust, values an environment of inclusion, trust, and respect as a primary component for optimal learning and working. As a matter of sound judgment, all employees of the college accept responsibility to avoid any apparent or actual conflict of interest between their professional responsibilities and their personal relationships with students and/or those over whom they exercise supervisory, evaluation authority or other relationship of power or authority.

DESCRIPTION
Edmonds College expects its employees to both value and adhere to the highest ethical and professional standards of conduct. Consensual relationships between a faculty member and a student, where the faculty member is in a “position of authority” over the student pose risks to the college community. Similarly, consensual relationships between supervisors and their employees also pose risks. In such relationships, voluntary consent by the student or subordinate employee is suspect because of the inherently unequal nature of the relationship.

To ensure that the advising, mentoring, evaluation, and supervision of students or subordinates is conducted fairly and equitably, consensual relationships, or the pursuit of such relationships, is prohibited between the following groups: 1) faculty and students, in instances where the faculty member holds a position of authority over the student; 2) supervisors and their employees; and 3) adult employees, to include faculty, and students under the age of 18 years of age. Additionally, employees are prohibited from engaging in sexual activity of any kind, whether consensual or not, on the Edmonds College campus.  

Violators of this policy shall be subject to discipline, in accordance with applicable Collective Bargaining Agreements, up to and including termination of employment with the college.

PROFESSIONAL GUIDELINES: Some professionals employed by the college (i.e. counselors, attorneys, nurses, and others) may have different, more stringent guidelines that their members must obey to maintain certification. This policy does not preclude or replace any guidelines published by a particular professional association. Edmonds College expects its employees to abide by the guidelines of any professional organization of which they are members, in addition to the standard set forth in this policy.

GLOSSARY TERMS
Campus

Consensual Relationship

Employee

Faculty

Position of Authority

Sexual Activity

Student

Supervisor

RELATED POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
HR 7.01pr Employee Relationships: Procedures 

SOURCE INFORMATION
Classified CBA

Faculty CBA

Administrative and Professional Exempt Employee Handbook (in progress)

RCW 9A.44 Sex Offenses

CONTENT OWNER. The primary responsibility for this policy belongs to:
Vice President for Human Resources and Operations

PRIMARY CONTENT CONTRIBUTOR (Director/Dean)
Vice President for Human Resources and Operations

REVIEW PERIOD
Three years.

REVIEW HISTORY
2021-Oct 20  Amended to update content owner and contributor

2017-March 13  Approved by President’s Cabinet



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