Code of Conduct
These Code of Conduct / Ethics Guidelines (Guidelines) may be revised at the discretion of Elect Barry Buchanan.
Elect Barry Buchanan, (“The Campaign”) its candidates, employees, contractors, and supporters consist of a diversity of professionals and volunteers. As leaders in our communities, it is crucial that we treat our staff, our supporters, and all those with whom we interact with the utmost respect.
The goal of this document is to ensure that each member of our campaign team feels valued, safe, and supported within the team structure. To that end, in addition to being a condition for employment, this document is intended to serve a dual purpose: to ensure that all members of the campaign team undergo explicit education in the expectations that the campaign leadership has defined and to ensure that resources for taking appropriate action are available, should they prove necessary.
An individual who violates the principles laid out in this document during their work should expect corrective action to prevent future violations. Depending on the severity or frequency of the violations, they may be asked to leave the organization or may be prohibited from attending future meetings and events.
The Campaign convenes and works in many physical and virtual spaces. These guidelines may be used in any physical or virtual location where any members of our team have gathered and/or are collaborating while conducting business.
The guidelines below apply to all those affiliated with the Campaign. Everyone is expected to make working at and participation in the Campaign and Campaign-affiliated events a harassment-free experience for everyone, regardless of age, disability, ethnicity, gender identity and expression, level of experience, ability, socioeconomic status, nationality, personal and/or physical appearance, race, religion or lack thereof, or sexual identity and orientation.
The Campaign is deeply committed to maintaining a work environment that is free from any kind of harassment, bullying, or discrimination. The Campaign strictly prohibits and will not tolerate unlawful harassment, including but not limited to sexual or racial harassment or harassment based on any protected status. We strictly prohibit candidates, employees or contractors from harassing staff, colleagues, other employees or anyone else working with the Campaign, whether or not the conduct occurs on the Campaign’s premises or during working hours.
Such prohibited conduct includes but is not limited to:
Sexually suggestive statements, questions, insults or jokes, or sexual innuendos;
Repeated unwanted sexual flirtations, advances, or propositions;
Pressuring for sexual activity, including offering employment benefits in exchange for sexual favors or denying employment benefits in response to a refusal to provide sexual favors;
Under no circumstances should a romantic relationship develop between candidate and Campaign staff.
Comments of a sexual nature about a person's physical attributes;
Offensive touching or assault, obscene gestures, or suggestive sounds;
Use of slurs, negative stereotyping or microaggressions;
Unwelcome comments about an individual’s physical or mental health or abilities
Circulating or displaying offensive pictures, letters, notes, e-mails, invitations, or other similar materials, including sending offensive jokes or pictures;
Falsely denying, lying about, or otherwise covering up or attempting to cover up conduct that is prohibited by this policy;
Any other conduct that shows hostility toward, disrespect for, or degradation of an individual based on the individual's protected status;
Other behavior inconsistent with the standard of conduct expected of the Campaign or its commitment to providing an environment conducive to progress, empowerment, and political leadership.
The Campaign employees, candidates and contractors should keep in mind that:
Our work all depends on one another and our professional relationships are vital to our success. Decisions we make will often affect others in the community.
Disagreements happen but should not be an excuse for disrespectful behavior. When disagreements do happen, we work together to solve them effectively and in a way that ensures that everyone has a reasonable opportunity to be heard and understood.
People may not understand jokes, sarcasm and oblique references in the same way that you do. Always think twice before you speak and if you think your conversation is making another community member uncomfortable, apologize and correct the course.
The Campaign employees, candidates, contractors, and supporters should promote a culture of respect, inclusion, and equity by:
Always remembering to use welcoming and inclusive language and be welcoming, inclusive, friendly, and patient.
Assuming good intent on the part of others.
Being kind, considerate, respectful, and professional by treating all individuals with a sense of dignity, respect, and worth.
Making a personal commitment to being nonjudgmental about cultural differences, living conditions, abilities, and the lifestyles of people with whom they interact.
Respecting others’ personal space and making physical contact with others only after receiving their consent.
The Campaign respects any non-vaccinated team member’s right to quarantine during this COVID-19 pandemic. While not vaccinated for COVID-19, any employee or candidate has the right to work remotely and virtually.
The Campaign strictly prohibits and will not tolerate any adverse action against an individual for:
Reporting conduct that they reasonably believe may violate this policy;
Filing a complaint of alleged discrimination or harassment with a government agency or court;
Assisting another individual in reporting conduct that may allegedly violate this policy;
Assisting another individual in filing a complaint of alleged discrimination or harassment with a governmental agency or court;
Cooperating in an investigation of any kind; or
Opposing alleged unlawful discrimination or harassment.
The Campaign encourages all campaign workers - candidates, paid staff, interns, and contractors who work with other campaign workers - as well as volunteers who supervise others to take action to make our community and workplace better. That means we all need to do our part to create an environment that is more empowering, equitable, and enjoyable for all who wish to be a part of our campaign. This includes reporting misconduct and/or identifying inappropriate behavior as such when we observe it as bystanders.
Any time a team member feels that the Campaign could be doing better, the Campaign encourages them to speak up and share their concerns with a supervisor or another trusted employee. The Campaign believes that employees, volunteers, and others have an obligation to do their part to create a culture that is supportive and free from intimidation or bias.
The following campaign advisor has agreed to be the primary point of contact and is committed to taking concerns seriously. They will work with concerned individuals to respond to the situation in accordance with their wishes. What is discussed with these individuals will remain confidential. While not employed by the campaign, this advisor has also agreed to this code of conduct:
Campaign Conduct Officer: Heather Flaherty
Cell: 360-224-7313
Email: heather.flaherty2@gmail.com
The Campaign knows that it is impossible to identify every possible scenario in one document. To that end, we rely on each other’s judgment and willingness to take action in order to ensure that we maintain a workplace culture that is equitable and empowering. If a team members is not sure how this code applies to a certain situation, seek clarification from a supervisor, another trusted colleague, or the campaign advisor listed above.