NJYS's Prohibited Conduct Policy is a policy that applies to all NJYS Covered Adults and Minor Participants as defined in this Athlete and Participant Safety Program, as well as conduct by any subcontractor, supplier, customer or third party and their employees in their dealings with NJYS employees. This policy is applicable to all NJYS sanctioned activities and competitions.

Harassment

Harassment consists of unwelcome conduct, whether verbal, physical or visual, that is based upon a person's protected status. NJYS will not tolerate harassing conduct that creates an intimidating, hostile, or offensive environment during NJYS sanctioned activities and competitions. This Prohibited Conduct Policy forbids harassing conduct even when it does not rise to the level of a violation of law.

Among the types of conduct prohibited by this policy are epithets, slurs, negative stereotyping or intimidating acts based on an individual's protected status and the circulation or posting of written or graphic materials that show hostility toward an individual because of his or her protected status.

Sexual Harassment

Sexual harassment deserves special mention. Sexual harassment may involve individuals of the same or different gender. Unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal, written, or physical conduct of a sexual nature may constitute sexual harassment.

Examples of conduct which may constitute sexual harassment and are prohibited by this Policy include, but are not limited to:

• unnecessary touching, patting, hugging, pinching, or brushing against a person's body;
• staring, ogling, leering, or whistling at a person;
• continued or repeated verbal abuse of a sexual nature;
• sexually explicit statements, sexual flirtations, advances, propositions, subtle pressure for sexual activity, comments, questions, jokes, or anecdotes;
• graphic or degrading comments about a person's clothing, body or sexual activity;
• sexually suggestive objects, cartoons, posters, calendars, or pictures in the workplace;
• suggestive or obscene letters, notes or invitations;
• harassing use of electronic mail, electronic or instant messaging, or telephone communication systems; or
• other physical or verbal conduct of a sexual nature.

Racial, Religious, or National Origin Harassment

Racial, religious, or national origin harassment deserves special mention as well, and is expressly prohibited by NJYS. Racial, religious, or national origin harassment includes any verbal, written, or physical act in which race, religion, or national origin is used or implied in a manner which would make a reasonable person uncomfortable in the environment within NJYS sanctioned activities and competitions. Examples of race, religious or national origin harassment may include, but are not limited to:

• jokes, which include reference to race, religion, or national origin;
• the display or use of objects or pictures which adversely reflect on a person's race, religion, or national origin; or
• use of pejorative or demeaning language regarding a person's race, religion, or national origin.

Child Sexual Abuse

Any sexual activity with a child is prohibited. This includes sexual contact with a child that is accomplished by deception, manipulation, force or threat of force, regardless of the age of the participants, and all sexual interactions between an adult and a child, regardless of whether there is deception, or the child understands the sexual nature of the activity.

Sexual Misconduct

Any sexual interaction between an athlete and an individual with evaluative, direct or indirect authority is prohibited. Such relationships involve an imbalance of power and are likely to impair judgment or be exploitative. This section does not apply to a pre-existing relationship between two spouses or life partners.

Emotional Misconduct

Emotional misconduct in all forms is prohibited. Emotional misconduct is a pattern of deliberate, non-contact behavior that has the potential to cause emotional or psychological harm to another person. Non-contact behaviors include verbal acts, physical acts, or acts that deny attention or support; or any act or conduct described as emotional abuse or misconduct under federal or state law (e.g. child abuse, child neglect). Emotional misconduct does not include professionally-accepted coaching methods of skill enhancement, physical conditioning, team building, appropriate discipline or improving athletic performance.

Physical Misconduct

Physical misconduct in all forms is prohibited. Physical misconduct is defined as contact or non-contact conduct that results in, or reasonably threatens to, cause physical harm to another person; or any act or conduct described as physical abuse or misconduct under federal or state law (e.g. child abuse, child neglect, assault). Physical misconduct does not include professionally-accepted coaching methods of skill enhancement, physical conditioning, team building, appropriate discipline or improving athletic performance. For example, hitting and punching are well-regulated forms of contact in combat sports, but have no place in soccer.

Bullying

Intentional, persistent and repeated pattern of committing or willfully tolerating physical and non-physical behaviors that are intended, or have the reasonable potential, to cause fear, humiliation or physical harm in an attempt to socially exclude, diminish or isolate the targeted athlete(s), as a condition of membership are prohibited. Bullying does not include group or team behaviors that (a) are meant to establish normative team behaviors, or (b) promote team cohesion.

Hazing

Coercing, requiring, forcing or willfully tolerating any humiliating, unwelcome or dangerous activity that serves as a condition for (a) joining a group or (b) being socially accepted by a group's members are prohibited. Hazing does not include group or team activities that (a) are meant to establish normative team behaviors or (b) promote team cohesion.

All Covered Adults are responsible to help ensure that we avoid misconduct.

All Covered Adults have an obligation to cooperate in any investigation of a complaint of misconduct, including providing any and all information concerning the complaint. Failure to do so may be a violation of this Policy.

Any violation of this Prohibited Conduct Policy by Covered Adults or Minor Participants may subject the individual(s) to disciplinary action. NJYS prohibits retaliation against individuals making good faith reports of misconduct, including potential violations of this Prohibited Conduct Policy by Covered Adults or Minor Participants.

NJYS is committed to maintaining an environment within its sanctioned activities and competitions that is free from all forms of discrimination, including harassment, on the basis of any legally protected status. Protected status includes race, color, age, religion, marital status, sex, ancestry, national origin, citizenship, veteran's status, pregnancy, disability, sexual orientation, protected activity, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local law. The policy also prohibits harassment on the basis of the protected status of an individual's relatives, friends or associates.

NJYS is also committed to maintaining an environment within its sanctioned activities and competitions that is free from all forms of sexual abuse, sexual misconduct, emotional misconduct, physical misconduct, bullying and hazing.