> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.arborconnect.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.arborconnect.com/understanding-expectations/equal-opportunity-and-accommodation.md). # Equal Opportunity, Anti-Discrimination, and Accommodation ## Equal employment opportunity The Arbor Company maintains a strict policy of equal employment for all team members and applicants for employment. We recruit, train, promote, assign jobs, transfer, discipline, layoff, terminate and offer benefits without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status or physical or mental disability, or any other category protected by federal, state or local law. ## Compliance with laws All team members must comply fully with all laws and regulations that apply to their Community. When the application of such laws or regulations is uncertain, team members are required to seek the guidance and advice of their supervisor/manager. No team member should at any time take any action on behalf of the Community which is known or should be known to violate any applicable law or regulation. If a team member learns of potentially unlawful conduct by another team member, it must be promptly reported to his/her supervisor/manager. ## Anti-discrimination and harassment policy The Arbor Company will not tolerate discrimination or harassment based upon race, color, religion, sex, age, disability, national origin, sexual orientation, or any other protected category under any federal, state or local law applicable to the Company. We want you to work in an environment free of discrimination, which includes freedom from harassment. Harassment can occur in many situations, but it is often viewed as a situation in which an individual in a position to control, influence or affect your employment, compensation, promotion or job assignment uses that power to coerce or punish you. Harassing conduct includes, but is not limited to, slurs, jokes or degrading comments concerning sex, age, race, religion, national origin, physical or mental disability, sexual orientation or veteran status. ## 'No sexual harassment' policy Sexual harassment is illegal. It does not refer to occasional compliments of a socially acceptable nature or welcomed social relationships. No form of discriminatory or disrespectful conduct by or toward any team member will be tolerated. Examples of sexual harassment can include: * Visual conduct: leering, making sexual gestures, displaying sexually suggestive objects, pictures, cartoons, posters, emails, viewing porn where others could be exposed to the content. * Verbal conduct: sexual advances or propositions, derogatory comments, slurs, explicit jokes, comments about a person's body or dress, graphic verbal commentary about a person's body, sexually degrading words, suggestive or obscene comments. * Physical conduct: touching, crowding a person, assault. It is against The Arbor Company's policy for any team member to sexually harass a team member by: * Subjecting another person to unwelcome sexual advances or requests for sexual favors or other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature * Making submission to or rejection of sexual favors the basis for employment decisions affecting any individual. * Engaging in conduct which unreasonably interferes with a team member's work performance. * Creating an intimidating, hostile or offensive working environment. If you believe that you have been the subject of sexual harassment or you have knowledge of sexual harassment at the Community, you should report the issue immediately to your supervisor, the Executive Director or to a member of The Arbor Company's corporate team in Atlanta. ## 'No harassment' based on other protected categories Prohibited harassment based on race, color, gender, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, age or disability occurs: * Where an individual uses spoken or written words or engages in physical conduct that puts down, ridicules or shows hostility, hatred or dislike or loathing of a team member or a team member's relatives, friends or team members; and * The conduct has the purpose or effect of creating an intimidating, hostile or offensive working environment of the team member or of unreasonably interfering with the team member's work performance or such conduct otherwise adversely affects a team member's work performance. Examples of such harassment would be using hateful, spiteful or vulgar words or slurs (even jokingly); suggesting by words or acts that a person with certain characteristics is not able to perform required work; engaging in threatening, intimidating or hostile acts; or circulating written or graphic materials of an unlawfully harassing nature in the workplace or on walls, bulletin boards or elsewhere in the workplace. ## Reporting policy Any Arbor Company team member with concerns about perceived discrimination or harassment in the workplace is encouraged to bring these issues to the attention of the Executive Director or a member of The Arbor Company's corporate team in Atlanta. Alleged incidents will be investigated with due regard to the privacy of everyone involved, understanding that complete confidentiality is not always possible. Accusations that are substantiated will result in disciplinary action as appropriate, depending upon the circumstances up to and including termination of employment. There will be no retaliation against any person who, in good faith, reports discrimination or participates in the investigation. The totality of the circumstances, the nature of the conduct and the context in which the incident occurred will be investigated. If you think that harassment has taken place against you or others, or if you have questions about this policy, please speak to your supervisor, your Executive Director or a member of The Arbor Company's corporate team immediately. ## Anti-bullying policy The Arbor Company strives to create a workplace free of bullying. Workplace bullying refers to repeated, unreasonable actions of individuals (or a group) directed toward a team member (or a group of team members), which are intended to intimidate, degrade, humiliate or undermine, or which create a risk to the health or safety of the team member(s). Some examples of workplace bullying include repeated acts such as: * Unwarranted or invalid criticism * Blame without factual justification * Treating one team member differently than the rest of the team members in a work group * Cursing or disrespectful language targeted at a particular team member * Exclusion or social isolation * Shouting or other behavior intended to humiliate the team member * Excessive "prank" jokes or teasing of a team member Workplace bullying is unacceptable and will not be tolerated. Any team member who bullies a co-worker will be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including termination of employment. The Arbor Company encourages all team members to report workplace bullying, and all complaints will be treated seriously and investigated promptly. In the investigation process, the Community will attempt to maintain confidentiality to the fullest extent possible. ## Handicap or disability accommodation The Arbor Company will conform to the regulations and requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act, (ADA) as amended by the ADA Amendments Act of 2008 (ADAAA) and state law. Qualified individuals with disabilities may be entitled to an accommodation in the workplace. If you believe you require an accommodation, please communicate that information to the Executive Director or your community's People Partner. We will comply with the law in order to accommodate your needs consistent with our work requirements. If you have any questions regarding the application of these laws to your situation, you may discuss them confidentially with the Executive Director or your community's People Partner. All information regarding a disability or handicap will be kept confidential and will not be disclosed except on a need-to-know basis to medical personnel, supervisory personnel directly involved, records custodians or appropriate governmental officials. ## GINA The Genetic Nondiscrimination Act of 2008 (GINA) prohibits employers and other entities covered by GINA Title II from requesting or requiring genetic information of an individual or family member of the individual except as specifically allowed by this law. To comply with this law, we are asking that you not provide any genetic information when responding to any requests for medical information in connection with your employment except when specifically permitted by the Act. "Genetic information," as defined by GINA, includes an individual's family medical history, the results of an individual's or family member's genetic tests; the fact that an individual or an individual's family member sought or received genetic services; and genetic information of a fetus carried by an individual or an individual's family member or an embryo lawfully held by an individual or family member receiving assistive reproductive services. If you have any questions regarding the application of this law, discuss them with the Executive Director. --- # Agent Instructions This documentation is published with GitBook. GitBook is the documentation platform designed so that both humans and AI agents can read, navigate, and reason over technical content effectively. Learn more at gitbook.com. ## Querying This Documentation If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question. 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