Equal Employment Opportunity

Word of Hope Ministries and its affiliates (WOHM) provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, creed, ancestry, national origin, citizenship, sex or gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, and pregnancy- related conditions), sexual orientation, marital status, religion, age, disability, genetic information, service in the military, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local laws and ordinances. Equal employment opportunity applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leave of absence, compensation, and training.

Training, education, social and recreational programs shall likewise continue to be administered on a non-discriminatory basis. WOHM will provide a supportive and productive work environment, conforming to all legal requirements for a culturally and racially diverse staff that work to meet the goals and needs of WOHM, Inc. These same principles will be followed by WOHM for its volunteer staff.

WOHM expressly prohibits any form of unlawful employee harassment, discrimination, intimidation, or insult based on any of the characteristics mentioned above. Improper interference with the ability of other employees to perform their expected job duties is absolutely not tolerated.

WOHM endeavors to make a reasonable accommodation of an otherwise qualified applicant or employee related to an individual’s physical or mental disability, sincerely held religious beliefs and practices, and/or any other reason required by applicable law, unless doing so would impose an undue hardship upon WOHM’s business operations.

WOHM believes that positive results-oriented action for the achievement and advancement of equal employment opportunity will serve the best interest of our employees, our members, and the community at large. The Executive Director is responsible for coordinating, monitoring and reviewing the effectiveness of the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion for the various projects at WOHM Inc. In addition, it will be the responsibility of each member of the management staff to continue to work to assure a continuance of WOHM’s policy of equality of employment for all persons on the basis of individual merit.

Any employees with questions or concerns about equal employment opportunities in the workplace are encouraged to bring these issues to the attention of their Coordinator. The company will not allow any form of retaliation against individuals who raise issues of equal employment opportunity. Employees who feel they have been subjected to any such retaliation should bring it to the attention of their Coordinator.

Retaliation means adverse conduct taken because an individual reported an actual or a perceived violation of this policy, opposed practices prohibited by this policy, or participated in the reporting and investigation process described below. “Adverse conduct” includes but is not limited to:
(1) Shunning and avoiding an individual who reports harassment, discrimination, or retaliation;
(2) Express or implied threats or intimidation intended to prevent an individual from reporting harassment, discrimination, or retaliation; or
(3) Denying employment benefits because an applicant or employee reported harassment, discrimination, or retaliation or participated in the reporting and investigation process.

Other examples of retaliation include firing, demotion, denial of promotion, unjustified negative evaluations, increased surveillance, harassment, and assault.

Complaints of discrimination should be filed according to the procedures described in the Harassment and Complaint Policy.