Policy on Harassment, Discrimination Bullying and Retaliation

Purpose, Scope & Applicability

At Remote, we are committed to fostering a work environment that is positive, respectful, and inclusive. All employees must adhere to this policy, including interns, managers, executives, contractors, consultants, vendors, customers, clients, visitors, applicants, and other third parties who do business with Remote Worldwide.

The policy covers all conduct that occurs at work or Remote-sponsored events, including conferences, trips, meetings, training, meals, and parties, whether in person or online. Remote reserves the right to investigate allegations of misconduct occurring outside of work if they materially impact the work environment, as allowed by law. We believe that by upholding this policy, everyone can work confidently, knowing they are protected from harassment, discrimination, bullying, and retaliation.

This Policy unequivocally prohibits harassment, discrimination, bullying, and retaliation. It is crucial to bear in mind that you are solely accountable for your conduct. Any excuse, such as being under the influence of alcohol or making a joke that was not intended to hurt anyone, is unacceptable. If the behaviour or conduct in question impacts the working environment, it falls under the purview of this Policy.

We may consider your conduct to be in violation of this Policy even if it falls short of conduct that would be considered a violation of applicable law. If there is any conflict or inconsistency between local laws and this policy, local laws will apply unless this Policy provides greater protection.

Harassment and Sexual Harassment

Harassment, including sexual harassment, can take many forms and can be verbal, nonverbal, physical or non-physical conduct. It may be a single severe incident or a series of less severe incidents. In certain circumstances, harassment and sexual harassment can be a violation of Remote’s company policies as well as a form of unlawful behaviour.

It’s important to consider how behaviour is perceived by and impacts others. Although you may not believe certain conduct is offensive, that does not mean others agree with you or that the conduct does not violate this Policy.

Harassment is an unwelcome and unwanted conduct that creates an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment. Remote also prohibits such conduct when it is based on a characteristic protected by law, such as:

age, race, colour, national origin, ethnicity, ancestry, protected military or veteran status, mental or physical disability, medical condition, genetic information or characteristics, gender, gender identity, gender expression, religion, religious practices or beliefs, pregnancy, breastfeeding, childbirth or related medical conditions, sexual orientation, marital or family status, any other basis protected by local, state and federal laws

Harassment does not require an intent to offend - someone can be harassed even if they are not the intended target.

Sexual harassment is unwelcome and unwanted conduct of a sexual nature. Sexual harassment can be directed at any person, regardless of their gender, gender expression, gender identity or sexual orientation. It can occur between persons of the same sex as well as persons of the opposite sex. Sexual harassment does not require that the harassing conduct be motivated by sexual desire.

Examples of harassment and sexual harassment may include but not be limited to:

• ridiculing or demeaning comments, slurs and epithets
• inappropriate, insensitive or derogatory comments and jokes
• posting, displaying or sending comments or images that are derogatory, sexual or that make fun of or are associated with hate or disdain of a protected class
• unwelcome sexual advances, sexual attention, demands for sexual favours
• veiled or overt threats or intimidating conduct
• unwelcome or unnecessary physical contact such as touching, brushing against someone, invading personal space, blocking a person’s movements
• sexual innuendo, staring, leering, whistling or sexually suggestive gestures
• offensive or unwelcome sexual comments about someone’s appearance, physical characteristics or physical abilities
• comments, actions or gestures that affect an employee’s dignity or psychological and physical safety
• unwanted advances or demands for submission to sexual favours in exchange for an employment-related benefit

This list of examples is not comprehensive, and there may be other behaviours that constitute unacceptable harassment and sexual harassment under this Policy.

Discrimination

Discrimination is the act of treating someone adversely and less favourably because of their age, race, colour, sex, religion, sexual orientation or identity, gender or gender identity, medical or disability status, national origin, or other individual characteristics protected by law. Discriminatory conduct can occur by, to, and between any employee, contractor, client, vendor, consultant or other person subject to this Policy. Examples of discrimination may include but not be limited to:

• denying a bonus, raise or incentive to a person who has met the required criteria
• mocking, mimicking or belittling a person’s disability or age
• preventing a person from progressing by intentionally blocking their opportunities
• offensive racist, sexist, homophobic or ageist jokes, or derogatory or stereotypical remarks about someone’s characteristics

Bullying

Bullying behaviour may include conduct that is abusive, offensive, intimidating, malicious, aggressive or insulting in nature. It involves the misuse of influence or abuse of power that can cause a reasonable person to feel vulnerable, humiliated, demeaned, undermined or threatened.  Bullying can be physical, verbal and non-verbal. Examples of bullying may include but not be limited to:

• abusing power by excluding someone from a meeting or assigning them inappropriate work for their role to demean them
• sabotaging a person’s work to undermine their success
• posting mean or destructive comments on social media posts

No Retaliation

Retaliation means taking an unfavourable or adverse action against someone who has in good faith:

• spoken out against conduct they believed to be a violation of this Policy
• reported or expressed an intent to report conduct they believe is a violation of this Policy (whether to Remote or a government agency)
• assisted someone with reporting conduct they believe is a violation of this Policy
• participated in an investigation or proceeding regarding a suspected or actual violation of this Policy

Examples of retaliation may include but not be limited to:

• intimidation, pressuring, coercion, threats and unwarranted discipline
• change of work assignments, refusal to cooperate or discuss work-related matters
• adverse employment action without cause, such as a demotion, reduction of pay or benefits, termination
• excluding someone from work-related activities

Reporting a Suspected Violation of this Policy

Should you encounter any behaviour that violates our Policy or is deemed inappropriate, it is imperative that you report it to us without delay, regardless of the Policy's requirements. Whether you have witnessed, experienced, or become aware of such behaviour, you must report it immediately. The reporting process and your obligation to do so will depend on your affiliation with Remote.

• External-Facing Employees (EE’s), or persons who are assigned to provide services to Remote clients, may report by:
  • Contact the Employee Relations (ER&T) and relations team at help@remote.com, and they will provide you with an acknowledgement within 24 business hours.
  • Remote clients: are required to promptly report within 24 business hours any known or suspected violation of this Policy or other inappropriate conduct that they see or hear about or that is raised to them by a formal or informal complaint in full confidence to help@remote.com
  • Third parties, including Remote’s contractors, consultants, customers, vendors, visitors and applicants, should report to: help@remote.com

Please provide us with as much information as possible regarding any incident(s), including the names of those involved, witnesses, and details of the incident. This will enable Remote to conduct a thorough investigation and take appropriate action, where necessary, to address any allegations.

In addition to our internal complaint process, employees have the right to seek help from government organizations that specialize in handling workplace issues. These entities can investigate claims, resolve disputes and take necessary remedial action.

Finally, it's important to note that filing an internal complaint doesn't automatically grant you an extension to file with a court or government agency. If you've encountered harassment or assault that included physical contact, confinement, or sexual acts, we strongly advise you to reach out to your local police department for immediate assistance.

Responding to a Reported Concern

Our team is made up of highly qualified managers and specialists who respond promptly to any complaints. However, in collaboration with local counsel - they will be responsible for conducting thorough and unbiased investigations, documenting all activities to ensure a complete evaluation of complaints. Co-operation from all employees is imperative to the success of our internal investigation process.

We provide a platform for everyone involved to express their thoughts, and our conclusions are based solely on the evidence gathered. Rest assured; we maintain absolute confidentiality regarding our findings and related documents, except when necessary to complete and close our investigation and take appropriate action.

Certain countries or regions mandate that we strictly adhere to established procedures and policies when addressing, investigating, and reporting incidents of harassment and discrimination. In the event of such situations, our Legal team and local legal counsel will be consulted to ensure unequivocal compliance with these procedures. If any individual harbours concerns regarding the investigation process, procedures, or findings, they are encouraged to contact help@remote.com

Enforcement

At Remote, we take violations of our policy seriously and take prompt and necessary action to address them. If any employee is found to have violated our policy, they may face disciplinary action, which could include termination of employment, as well as verbal or written warnings, coaching, training, changes to compensation or performance rating, reassignment, or other appropriate measures.

We consider the severity of the conduct, the response of the person involved, and any other relevant information when determining the appropriate action to take. Individuals such as contractors, vendors, visitors, clients, customers, consultants, Board members, or any other third party who fails to comply with this Policy may face consequences such as being removed from their position, event or having their business agreement terminated with Remote. Furthermore, any individual violating the Policy may be held personally responsible for any legal action against them under relevant laws.