To prohibit discrimination, harassment, and bullying for all participants in National Academies’ activities.

All participants in all settings and locations in which the National Academies work and activities are conducted.

The National Academies are committed to the principles of integrity, civility, and respect in all of our activities. We look to you to be a partner in this commitment by helping us to maintain a professional and cordial environment. All forms of discrimination, harassment, and bullying are prohibited in any National Academies activity. This policy applies to all participants in all settings and locations in which National Academies’ work and activities are conducted, including committee meetings, workshops, conferences, and other work and social functions where employees, volunteers, sponsors, vendors, or guests are present.

• Discrimination is prejudicial treatment of individuals or groups of people based on their race, ethnicity, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, religion, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable laws.

• Sexual harassment is unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature that creates an intimidating, hostile, or offensive environment.

• Other types of harassment include any verbal or physical conduct directed at individuals or groups of people because of their race, ethnicity, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, religion, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable laws, that creates an intimidating, hostile, or offensive environment.

• Bullying is unwelcome, aggressive behavior involving the use of influence, threat, intimidation, or coercion to dominate others in the professional environment.

Any violation of this policy should be reported. If you experience or witness discrimination, harassment, or bullying, you are encouraged to make your unease or disapproval known to the individual at the time the incident occurs, if you are comfortable doing so. You are also urged to report any incident by:

• Filing a complaint through the National Academies Complaint Intake Form, and/or

• Filing a complaint with the Office of Human Resources at 202-334-3400 or hrservicecenter@nas.edu, or

• Reporting the incident to an employee involved in the activity in which the member or volunteer is participating, who will then file a complaint with the Office of Human Resources.

Complaints should be filed as soon as possible after an incident. To ensure the prompt and thorough investigation of the complaint, the complainant should provide as much information as is possible, such as names, dates, locations, and steps taken. The Office of Human Resources will investigate the alleged violation in consultation with the Office of the General Counsel.

If an investigation results in a finding that an individual has committed a violation, the National Academies will take the actions necessary to protect those involved in its activities from any future discrimination, harassment, or bullying, including in appropriate circumstances the removal of an individual from current National Academies’ activities and a ban on participation in future activities.

Information contained in a complaint is kept confidential, and information is revealed only on a need-to-know basis. The National Academies will not retaliate or tolerate retaliation against anyone who makes a good faith report of discrimination, harassment, or bullying.

The NRC Executive Officer is responsible for oversight of and substantive changes to the policy.

Revised: 01/28/2025