CODES OF CONDUCT
The ECM is committed to providing a welcoming and safe environment for everyone, regardless of gender, sexual orientation, disability, age, race, immigration status, or religion.
Building Conduct:
Behavior that disturbs others’ use of The ECM, creates an unsafe environment, impedes the work of ECM staff, or creates a risk of damage to ECM property is not permitted.
Behavior that violates local, state, and/or federal laws is prohibited. These behavior expectations apply to all ECM property, both inside and outside of the building. Additionally, these expectations apply wherever ECM service interactions occur.
ECM guests are expected to respect staff requests to stop unacceptable behavior. Those who violate this policy may simply be asked to correct the behavior, but may also be asked to leave the ECM for the day, or be subject to legal action depending on the severity of the behavior. Appeals may be made to the ECM Board President or designee.
No carrying a weapon as described by Kansas Law into the ECM; unconcealed weapons, including firearms, are prohibited.
Disagreements in community spaces will happen and that’s okay.
Yelling and fighting is not okay.No smoking or vaping inside.
No going into ECM Staff spaces without permission, including the refrigerators. If you need anything, just ask.
Leave the ECM at least as clean as you found it.
Pick up after yourself. If you make a mess, clean it up. This includes dishes and trash.
You can find cleaning supplies and towels in the kitchen.
If you need something and can’t find it, ask an ECM staff member to help you.
This is a community space. We all have to pitch in to keep it clean.
Board Member Conduct (to be included in new board orientation and reviewed yearly):
The ECM strives to maintain a workplace that is free from illegal discrimination and harassment. While all forms of harassment are prohibited, it is the organization’s policy to emphasize that sexual harassment is specifically prohibited. Any board member who engages in discriminatory or harassing conduct towards is subject to removal from the Board. Complaints alleging misconduct on the part of Board members will be investigated promptly and as confidentially as possible by a task force of the Board appointed by the Executive Committee.
Board members are expected to actively participate and exercise the duties and responsibilities of their positions with integrity, collegiality, and care. This includes:
❑ Making attendance at all meetings of the board a high priority.
❑ Being prepared to discuss the issues and business on the agenda, and having read all background material relevant to the topics at hand.
❑ Cooperating with and respecting the opinions of fellow Board members, and leaving personal prejudices out of all board discussions, as well as supporting actions of the Board even when the Board member personally did not support the action taken.
❑ Putting the interests of the organization above personal interests.
❑ Representing the organization in a positive and supportive manner at all times and in all places.
❑ Showing respect and courteous conduct in all board and committee meetings.
❑ Refraining from intruding on administrative issues that are the responsibility of management, except to monitor the results and ensure that procedures are consistent with board policy.
❑ Observing established lines of communication and directing requests for information or assistance to the executive director
❑ Board members are reminded that confidential financial, personnel and other matters concerning the organization, donors, staff or clients/consumers may be included in board materials or discussed from time to time. Board members should not disclose such confidential information to anyone.
Proposed Process for ECM Staff, Board, and Volunteers
All are encouraged to review ECM Codes of Conduct prior to initiating a grievance.
1. The member shall initiate the grievance (hereafter defined as a felt injustice or injury, whether real or perceived; a complaint) in writing (email or paper) to the President of The Board (or designated board member.) All grievance reports will be treated as confidential to the extent possible while addressing the grievance.
2. The President of the Board (or designated board member) shall meet with the member within seventy-two (72) hours of receipt of the grievance, and shall review all aspects of the problem(s) outlined by the member. They then have a week to speak with all other members involved in grievance.
3. The President (or designated board member) then has three business days to make a decision regarding if there was any breaking of the code of conduct by anyone involved, and determines if an accountability process is needed. If the President needs more information to make a decision or is not able to resolve the conflict alone, three more days are allowed for investigation and additional board members may be asked to assist. The President will submit a final report summarizing the grievance and explaining the decision (some information may need to be kept confidential.)
4. If the President of the Board is unable to resolve the grievance to the member’s satisfaction, the member may appeal that decision to the Executive Board.
The President of the Board shall be responsible for forwarding the member’s grievance to the ECM Executive Board within forty-eight (48) hours of the member requesting an appeal, and shall include specific documentation and rationale as to why they made the original decision.
5. The ECM Executive Board shall issue a final decision on the merits of any portion of a grievance within 30 days of the initial filing of the grievance and inform the member.
Retaliation Clause- This clause means that employees or parties are protected from being fired, demoted, harassed, or otherwise penalized for making a complaint or assisting in an inquiry related to violations of policy or law. The core function of this clause is to encourage reporting of wrongdoing by safeguarding individuals from retribution, thereby fostering a safer and more transparent environment. People reporting grievances shall not experience any retaliation or victimization. Retaliation against an individual who has been involved in a complaint of harassment will be considered a form of harassment and shall not be tolerated nor condoned.
Process for ECM Guests
-Guest Grievances are handled with the same procedure if the conflict involves staff/board/volunteers. Guests are encouraged to refer to the Building Code of Conduct and resolve disputes between themselves if possible. Conflicts between groups using the facilities should be (encouraged in lease and BOC?) resolved through the group’s own process.
-Building Code of Conduct will be posted on the ECM website along with contact information for designated ECM board members. Staff will refer guests to this website when they are contacted about a grievance.
Proposed language:
The ECM takes all concerns and complaints seriously and works to ensure the safety of all who use the building.
Please refer to the Building Code of Conduct and your group’s conflict resolution process, if applicable, to resolve conflicts. Please send an email for any concerns that require ECM attention.
ECM Accountability Process
(Accountability will be hereafter defined as, in the context of restorative justice, is the giving of account of harms caused to others, taking responsibility for harms caused and the wrongfulness of these actions, and the making of obligations to repair these harms)
-Address concerns. This can look like the person who was impacted being called into conversation and asked how they would like ECM to respond, while centering our values as an organization. If the impacted person is interested in being involved in the accountability process, allow them to support.
-The person in violation of the code of conduct needs to be made aware of their actions and given the opportunity to take responsibility for harm, make amends, be willing to understand, change and transform the harmful behavior and its underlying motivations. Be willing to engage in group processes, with ECM members.
-When all of our board tools have been used, calling a mediator can be considered. It does have a cost, but can be helpful for working through a mediated conversation when we want to avoid banning people. The board will consider the cost and plan a way to pay for it before the hiring of such a mediator.
-Local service: https://www.buildingpeaceks.org
-Whether or not there was a code of conduct violation, there may still be conflict between people and this process can help resolve/repair. How can we avoid just banning people? What more can we do to resolve conflict through the accountability process, and how can we use that to restore/maintain relationships? Rebuilding relationships can be a work in progress, and the ECM should always encourage new and better ways of resolving differences.