Relationships/Professional Conduct
3-160
HUMAN RESOURCES MANUAL
POLICY
RELATIONSHIPS/PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT
ROMANTIC OR SEXUAL RELATIONSHIPS
The AIDS Committee of Toronto (ACT) discourages the development of romantic and/or sexual relationships between:
- supervisors and individuals supervised, and
- employees/volunteers and the service users to whom they provide direct service.
RELATIONSHIPS THAT DEVELOP BETWEEN CURRENT EMPLOYEES
If a personal relationship which develops between employees has implications for work performance:
1. The manager is to discuss workplace issues with the individuals involved.
2. The individuals involved are expected to perform their work responsibilities at satisfactory levels and without disruption to other employees.
3. An employee or volunteer who finds a sexual relationship developing is expected to disclose this fact to the manager or Executive Director. Appropriate responses may include postponing the relationship until one person is no longer affiliated with ACT or reassigning supervisory responsibility.
If requested, ACT will consider relocating one individual to a different program if possible. Relocation will be given priority if one of the employees involved in the relationship is in a supervisory position. Other employees will not be expected to change positions or be transferred to accommodate a relocation.
4. If there are persistent performance problems related to personal relationships, Progressive Discipline, HR #'s 8-20 and 8-21 apply.
PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT
1. Professional relationships among employees, volunteers and service users are based on respect and a mutual process for determining the service needs of the service user.
2. Employees and volunteers are expected to perform work in a professional manner that encourages and supports a safe environment that is free from actions and comments that may be perceived as derogatory to any group of individuals. (Also see Employment Policies, HR # 2-10; Non-Discrimination/Access and Equity, AM # 1-80.
3. Employees are also expected to ensure that their non-verbal communication, i.e., touch, does not violate another individual's sense of space, culture and comfort with being at ACT.
4. Employees are expected to maintain a relationship with volunteers, students and service users that is within professional boundaries. Such a relationship must not:
a) impair the professional judgement or conduct of the employee;
b) create a conflict of interest; or
c) create a risk of exploitation, including sexual misuse.
5. Employees and volunteers are to provide professional services:
a) within their range of competency;
b) within the parameters of their job responsibilities;
c) within the agency's policies and procedures.
6. Employees and volunteers are expected to engage in an ongoing process of training/development.
7. Employees and volunteers are to respect the complimentary relationship with other professionals both within the agency and in the community.
EMPLOYEE/VOLUNTEER RELATIONS WITH SERVICE USERS
The following are violations of professional conduct:
- sex is not permitted with service users to whom an employee/volunteer provides direct service;
- employees/volunteers are not to take advantage of service users to perform personal services;
- employees/volunteers are not to put service users in a conflict of interest situation;
- employees/volunteers are not to provide service users with employee/volunteer phone numbers; and
- employees/volunteers are not to be excessive in giving gifts or doing favours for their service users.
The above relations are strongly discouraged with ACT's former service users.
REPORTING
Any employee/volunteer who:
1. becomes aware of a breach of professional conduct, or
2. is informed by a service user of staff misconduct
must report the situation within 24 hours to the appropriate manager for followup.
(Also see Problem Resolution, section 8. If conduct of an employee/volunteer is perceived as harassment, see Harassment (including Sexual Harassment), HR #'s 8-10 and 8-11.)
