Policies and Procedures: 9.7 Retaliation
No one shall be retaliated against for, in good faith, raising a complaint of a violation of an MIT policy, participating in the Institute's complaint resolution process (whether as a complainant, a witness, an investigator, or in any other capacity), or opposing a violation of an MIT policy. Retaliation is any adverse action, harassment, threats or other conduct that would discourage a reasonable person from making a complaint or otherwise participating in a complaint resolution process. Retaliation may occur even where there is no finding of a policy violation, and a complaint of retaliation will be addressed independently through MIT's complaint resolution process.
Policies and Procedures: 9.8 Complaint Resolution Policies and Procedures
Any MIT student, faculty or staff member who believes that he or she was unfairly treated or that an employment policy was violated or misapplied is encouraged to resolve the concern through the complaint resolution procedures outlined below. MIT is committed to providing a prompt, fair and impartial process from the receipt of a complaint to the final result. MIT tries to address concerns while taking into consideration the interests of all involved – those raising a concern and those against whom the concern is raised, as well as co-workers and others who may be involved.The complaint resolution process for complaints against those who work at MIT usually begins at the local level with an informal approach, which successfully resolves complaints in most situations. If the informal approach is not successful, or if it is not appropriate in the circumstances, a request for a Formal Review may be filed. Formal Reviews determine whether an MIT employment policy was violated or was misapplied (that is, applied in an arbitrary or capricious manner). Among the complaints covered by this procedure are allegations of violations of the Institute’s policies against discrimination and harassment. Specific provisions common to complaints by or against employees, such as confidentiality, protection from retaliation, and record keeping, are found in Section 9.8.5.
This office helps to prevent and resolve workplace problems, and works to ensure the Institute's compliance with legal requirements affecting employment. Within that office, Human Resources Officers (HROs) are assigned to the DLCs and are both an employee's and a DLC's primary contact for employment-related issues, both union and non-union.
MIT Libraries Human Resources Officer:
Diane Stacey-Wood
Human Resources Officer
NE49-5000
dianesw@mit.edu
(617) 715-5242
One can also report concerns directly to Human Resources via:
Lianne Shields
Director, Employee & Labor Relations
NE49-5000
lshields@mit.edu
(617) 253-8381
See: https://hr.mit.edu/complaint for a current list of complaint options compiled by Human Resources
The mission of the Office for Civil Rights is to ensure equal access to education and to promote educational excellence throughout the nation through vigorous enforcement of civil rights.
The Office for Civil Rights enforces several Federal civil rights laws that prohibit discrimination in programs or activities that receive federal financial assistance from the Department of Education
A complaint of discrimination can be filed by anyone who believes that an education institution that receives Federal financial assistance has discriminated against someone on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, or age. The person or organization filing the complaint need not be a victim of the alleged discrimination, but may complain on behalf of another person or group.
John F. Kennedy Federal Building
475 Government Center
Boston, MA 02203
(800) 669-4000
https://www.eeoc.gov/
The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) is responsible for enforcing federal laws that make it illegal to discriminate against a job applicant or an employee because of the person's race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, gender identity, and sexual orientation), national origin, age (40 or older), disability, or genetic information. It is also illegal to discriminate against a person because the person complained about discrimination, filed a charge of discrimination, or participated in an employment discrimination investigation or lawsuit.
Most employers with at least 15 employees are covered by EEOC laws (20 employees in age discrimination cases). Most labor unions and employment agencies are also covered. The laws apply to all types of work situations, including hiring, firing, promotions, harassment, training, wages, and benefits.
1 Ashburton Place
6th Floor, Room 601
Boston, MA 02108
(617) 994-6000
https://www.mass.gov/orgs/massachusetts-commission-against-discrimination
MCAD investigates and prosecutes Complaints of Discrimination that occur in Employment, Housing, Public Places, Access to Education, Lending, and Credit.