Whistleblower Protection Policy
The College is committed to upholding the highest standards of ethical, moral, and legal business conduct, and transparency through open communication. The College expects and requires all employees, volunteers, and independent contractors to comply with applicable laws, rules, and regulations, including New York State Labor Law Section 740, ordinances, executive orders, rules, regulations, judicial or administrative decisions, rulings or orders, and must faithfully implement and adhere to the College’s own policies and procedures in conducting their duties and responsibilities.
This policy is intended to provide guidance about how to report any suspected or actual conduct contrary to these requirements and standards, as well as to protect such individuals who make good-faith reports of suspected or known violations of this policy, from intimidation, harassment, discrimination or retaliation.
Employees, volunteers, and independent contractors should make a good faith effort to report suspected or actual violations of this policy, including any suspected or known violations of any law, rule, or regulation, or an activity, policy or practice that the individual reasonably believes poses a substantial or specific danger to the public health or safety, to our anonymous Whistleblower line.
CALL 1.866.494.3161 or log on to www.eniweb.com and Enter Company PIN Number 4010
All complaints received pursuant to this policy will be investigated. While the College encourages submitting their concerns or report in writing, verbal reports will also be investigated. Upon receipt of a complaint, the College will make a written record of all such reports and perform or facilitate an investigation of all credible allegations. Reports should be based on reasonable, good faith belief that the conduct complaint of constitutes a violation of this policy.
The privacy and reputation of individuals involved will be maintained to the extent possible, however complete confidentiality cannot always be guaranteed.
In most cases, employee, volunteer, and independent contractor concerns can be addressed by College’s management in accordance with the applicable corporate policies and procedures. As such, this Whistleblower Policy is not intended and may not be used for general complaints, employment grievances, etc. Such concerns should be pursued in accordance with the applicable policies and procedures articulated in the Employee Handbook or Faculty Handbook.
The College will not take any retaliatory action against any employee, volunteer, or independent contractor, whether or not within the scope of the employee’s job duties, because the employee, volunteer, or independent contractor has engaged in any of the following activities:
1. discloses, or threatens to disclose to a supervisor or to a public body an activity, policy or practice of the employer that the employee reasonably believes is in violation of law, rule or regulation or that the employee reasonably believes poses a substantial and specific danger to the public health or safety;
2. provides information to, or testifies before, any public body conducting an investigation, hearing or inquiry into any such activity, policy or practice by such employer; or
3. objects to, or refuses to participate in any such activity, policy or practice.
For purposes of this policy, New York law defines retaliatory conduct as: (i) adverse employment actions or threats to take such adverse employment actions against an employee in the terms of conditions of employment including but not limited to discharge, suspension, or demotion; (ii) actions or threats to take such actions that would adversely impact a former employee's current or future employment; or (iii) threatening to contact or contacting United States immigration authorities or otherwise reporting or threatening to report an employee's suspected citizenship or immigration status or the suspected citizenship or immigration status of an employee's family or household member to a federal, state, or local agency.
No individual, including current and former employees and independent contractors, and volunteers, shall suffer intimidation, harassment, discrimination, retaliation or adverse employment consequences for making a good-faith reasonable report of violations of this policy, including violations of New York Labor Law Section 740 or reports of retaliation in violation of this policy. Retaliatory conduct should be reported as soon as possible to their supervisor, Department and/or Division Head, The Office of Human Resources, or an appropriate member of the President’s Executive Cabinet.The College will not tolerate retaliatory conduct towards any covered individual for engaging in any of the protected activity defined above. Any individual who is found to have engaged in retaliatory conduct as defined above will be subject to disciplinary action or other remedial action commensurate with the circumstances.
Any individual who knowingly makes a report in bad faith are not protected by the anti-retaliation provisions of this policy and will be subject to discipline, up to and including termination. This includes but is not limited to providing knowingly false information.
Any questions or concerns regarding this policy should be directed to The Office of Human Resources.