Neiman Marcus 2002 Annual Report Download - page 148

Employees must refrain from any act that is designed to cause or that does cause unlawful employment discrimination or
harassment. This includes decisions concerning advertising, recruiting, hiring, placement, training, compensation, benefits, education
and development, transfer, promotion, demotion, discipline, or termination.
In addition to ensuring compliance with the law, the Company believes that its commitment to developing and respecting a
diverse workforce empowers employees to achieve their full potential and helps to foster teamwork toward meeting the Company's
business objectives. Consistent with this commitment, employees must treat each other with dignity and respect for one another's
cultures, lifestyles and uniqueness.
SEXUAL HARASSMENT
The Company prohibits sexual harassment of an employee by another person. All employees, male and female, have
the right to work in an environment that is free of sexual harassment. Sexual harassment is a form of misconduct that
undermines the integrity of the employment relationship, and no employee should be subjected to unwelcome sexual conduct
by a co-worker, a contractor, a customer, a supplier, or any other third party.
Sexual harassment does not refer to occasional compliments of a socially acceptable nature. It refers to conduct of a sexual
nature, whether verbal, physical, or visual, that is unwelcome and creates a work environment that is hostile, offensive or coercive.
While sexual harassment is not easy to define, it may include: unwelcome sexual jokes, language, epithets, advances or propositions;
unwelcome touching, leering, whistling, or suggestive, insulting or obscene comments or gestures; demands for sexual favors in
exchange for favorable reviews, assignments, promotions, or continued employment; questions about sexual conduct or practices;
unwelcome comments about an individual's body or sexual activity; and the display of sexually suggestive objects, pictures, posters or
drawings.
The Company has no desire to interfere with consensual relationships between co-workers, however, individuals may be or
may appear to be improperly influenced by the existence of a personal relationship. Therefore, situations where one of the parties in
such a relationship supervises or evaluates the other must be disclosed. The Company reserves the right to take appropriate action to
avoid potential problems including, but not limited to, changing the reporting relationship between the parties involved.
REPORTING DISCRIMINATION AND HARASSMENT
An employee who believes he or she has been subjected to or who becomes aware of a situation involving discrimination or
harassment based on any category protected by law, as described above, is encouraged to immediately notify either their supervisor,
the Human Resources Department, Associate Relations, his or her designated Compliance Officer, the Compliance Committee, or the
Legal Department. Any manager or executive to whom discrimination or harassment is reported must immediately forward that
information to the Human Resources Department for investigation. The Company will promptly and thoroughly investigate all
complaints of discrimination or harassment. If the allegations of employee misconduct are substantiated, disciplinary action ranging
from counseling to termination of employment will be taken, commensurate with the factual circumstances and seriousness of the
offense. If the allegations relate to the inappropriate conduct of a contractor, customer, supplier or other third party, the Company will
take appropriate steps to eliminate the problem if the claims are substantiated.
A complaint of discrimination or harassment, the investigation of it, and any corrective action taken will be treated with as
much confidentiality as possible. In
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