F. NATIONAL SEXUAL HARASSMENT PREVENTION
The Postal Service is committed to increasing awareness and preventing sexual harassment in the workplace. During 2002, the Postal Service reissued its policy statement on sexual harassment and revised Publications 552, Manager’s Guide to Understanding Sexual Harassment, and Publication 553, Employee’s Guide to Understanding Sexual Harassment. This policy clearly:

• Prohibits sexual harassment in the workplace.
• Provides examples of behavior that constitute sexual harassment.
• Directs employees who have witnessed or experienced an incident of sexual harassment to report it to a manager, supervisor, union official, an Equal Employment Opportunity counselor, or the manager of Human Resources.
• Explains the procedures to report complaints.
• Protects confidentiality to the extent possible.
• Requires all managers and supervisors to respond promptly and ensure that a thorough investigation is conducted and that the harassment and/or inappropriate conduct do not happen again.
• Provides for the use of initial Management Inquiry Process materials available in Publication 552, Manager’s Guide to Understanding Sexual Harassment.
• Prohibits retaliation against employees who make a claim, report inappropriate conduct or provide evidence in any investigation.

The following channels of communication were used to disseminate the policy, increase awareness, and prevent sexual harassment within the Postal Service:

• Publication 553, Employee’s Guide to Understanding Sexual Harassment, was mailed to every employee’s home address.
• Publication 552, Manager’s Guide to Understanding Sexual Harassment, was mailed to the home address of every manager, postmaster, and supervisor.
• In February 2002, “Sexual Harassment Awareness and Prevention” was the subject of a mandatory service talk, as part of the Workplace Environment Improvement (WEI) Strategic Focus 2002 training for all craft employees.
• USPS News Link, February 26, 2002, announced the posting of updated Publication 552, and Publication 553 on the Postal Service intranet at http://blue.usps.gov/cpim.
• In February 2002, the vice president of Diversity Development issued Sexual Harassment Toolkits containing five training videos, scripts, employee handbooks, leader’s guides, Posters 21-B, Varieties of Sexual Harassment, and 21-C, Sexual Harassment — It’s Illegal!, and Publication 552 and Publication 553. These training materials were distributed to all field Diversity Development specialists, Diversity Development coordinators, managers of Training and area managers of Human Resources.
• Diversity Talk, April 2002, was announced on the Postal Service Training Network (PSTN). PSTN broadcast the 2002 sexual harassment training videos three times a month until the end of the fiscal year. The videotapes are also available through the Material Distribution Center in Topeka, KS.
• Diversity Talk, July 2002, outlined what a postmaster, manager, and supervisor must do to ensure there are adequate policies and procedures to prevent sexual harassment and address related complaints.
• Diversity Talk, September 2002, provided tips on “How to Effectively Address Sexual Harassment Complaints.”

The Postal Service has taken the following measures to ensure employees know and understand the policy on sexual harassment:

• For 2002, training consisted of a one-hour module for those employees not trained in 2000–2001.
• Periodic service talks were conducted nationwide to remind employees about the Postal Service policy on sexual harassment and the costly effects of inappropriate behavior.
• The Associate Supervisor Program and new employee orientation included segments on sexual harassment awareness and prevention.
• The Office of the General Counsel continued to offer interactive intranet training for supervisors and managers on preventing sexual harassment activity
• Postal Service attorneys, Diversity Development staff, and trained facilitators provided briefings and training to groups of employees upon request.

Since education is the key to accomplishing the goal of a workplace free from sexual harassment and inappropriate behavior, Diversity Development will continue the following awareness and preventive measures:

• Conduct and document training so that employees understand what constitutes sexual harassment, its repercussions, and what they can do to prevent sexual harassment and inappropriate behavior.
• Review statistical data from all sources (VOE survey, EEO complaints, etc.) and follow up in areas where intervention and remedial training are required.
• Revise pertinent policies and other directives to reflect up-to-date initiatives.
• Distribute new sexual harassment prevention training resources and posters nationwide.
• Develop and disseminate consistent messaging for Postal Service employees and customers through all available modes of communication.