Employee Relations Playbook v.2 - Flipbook - Page 36
m. Electronic Resources Issues include use of university computing and/or electronic resources to
transmit intimidating, harassing, or threatening electronic communication and/or forging
electronic communication, unauthorized use of email including unsolicited, junk, chain or
unauthorized mass mailings, advertising by external agencies on university websites (except for
appropriate acknowledgment of corporate sponsorships), promoting or executing commercial or
for-profit endeavors on university webpages, distribution or reproduction, in any digital form, of
copyrighted music, video, or other multimedia content without the express written permission of
the material’s rightful owner, reproduction of copyrighted materials, trademarks, or other
protected material in any digital form without express written permission from the material’s
owner, distribution, and duplication or use of copyrighted software without appropriate licensing
agreements or use of software inconsistent with licensing. See the Information Technology section
of the policy site.
n. Ethical Issues include theft, unfairness, disrespect for the rights and dignity of others, harassing,
belittling, harming, bullying or taking advantage of others, or conflicts of interest. See the
university Code of Ethics and Conflict of Interest in Professional and Business Practices policy.
o. Gambling Issues include gambling conducted on university property at any time or while on
university business regardless of location, or offsite at university-related events.
p. Government Laws and Regulations Issues include failure to comply with any federal, state, local
or administrative law and/or regulation governing the university.
q. A Grievance within the Faculty Handbook is a complaint that is filed by faculty after an appeal
has been denied. Grievances are limited to complaints that USC did not follow the required
procedures in imposing a sanction.
r. Harassment refers to unwelcome verbal or physical conduct based on a protected characteristic
that creates a hostile environment or which submission to or rejection of is made a term or
condition of the work or academic place.
s. Insubordination Issues include refusal to follow (or following only after complaining or resisting)
a reasonable written or verbal instruction from a supervisor or other university employee with
apparent authority, including Department of Public Safety officers in the discharge of their duties.
t. Investigation Issues include impeding or failing to fully, immediately, and truthfully cooperate
with any university inquiry or investigation, including investigations of complaints about research
misconduct, auditing matters, violence, discrimination, harassment, sexual harassment,
retaliation, or any other matter. Supervisors must also cooperate and may not discourage
employee participation in an investigation.
u. Misappropriation Issues include unauthorized use of university assets which results or could
have resulted in financial loss to the university (for example, theft; embezzlement; fraud; conflict
of interest; failing to report known or suspected misappropriations regardless of magnitude;
Employee Relations Playbook
For Managers
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