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Responsible Employee Reporting 

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Most CSUF professional and student employees are categorized as Responsible Employees. Responsible Employees have a duty to report to the Office for Civil Rights and Equity  when they know or have reason to know of allegations and/or acts that may violate the CSU Nondiscrimination Policy, including Discrimination and Harassment based on any Protected Status, Sexual Harassment, Sexual Misconduct, Sexual Exploitation, Dating or Domestic Violence, Stalking, or related Retaliation.

Responsible Employees are required to report all information available, including the names of those involved, even if someone has requested anonymity.

Responsible Employees cannot promise confidentiality but should respect the privacy of those involved. Privacy is the practice of limiting those who have access to information to people who, due to their role, have a legitimate “need to know” in order to fulfill their duties. 

When a person tells a CSUF Responsible Employee about an alleged incident, that person has the right to expect CSUF to take immediate and appropriate steps to address the matter promptly and equitably.

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Responding to a Disclosure as a Responsible Employee 

Before a Disclosure

Responsible Employees have an immense opportunity to respond empathetically and accurately to someone who may have experienced harm. What you say to someone after an alleged incident can make a significant difference for that person. To ensure that those impacted by alleged misconduct are informed about the obligations of a Responsible Employee, the Office for Civil Rights and Equity recommends that Responsible Employees pause the conversation to share the following before discussing any details of a given experience:  

“It seems like you want to share something important to me, and I want to be here to listen. Before you go any further, I do want you to know that I have a responsibility to report any potential violations of the CSU Nondiscrimination Policy to the Office for Civil Rights and Equity. I respect your privacy, and I’ll only share information with the staff members who need to know.” 

During A Disclosure

Listen

If they choose to continue with their disclosure, be sure to listen without judgment. Allow them to share at their own pace.

Use active listening strategies like staying focused, refraining from interrupting, and nodding to show you are engaged in the conversation.

Validate

It’s important to validate the person's emotions. You may provide verbal support such as, “Thank you for sharing this with me," and “This is not your fault.” You can also let the person know that they are not alone, and you can help them connect with resources.

You do not need to ask many questions, as you are there to receive the information the individual wants to share with you.

Report & Refer

After listening and validating, you will then promptly submit a report to the Office for Civil Rights and Equity with all information you have come to know about the alleged incident(s). You can make a report online, via phone, via email, or in person in the Office for Civil Rights and Equity. You can let the person know to expect an outreach email from the Office for Civil Rights and Equity.

In addition to submitting the report, you can also refer the person to other resources available on campus.

    

After A Disclosure

After the person shares with you, it is important that they understand what to expect next. Consider saying the following: 

“I appreciate you trusting me and sharing this with me. I want you to know that you have options from here. There are several resources I can help you connect with. First, the Office for Civil Rights and Equity can provide a variety of Supportive Measures and next steps. I will submit a report to their office, and they will reach out to you. You can decide whether to respond to their outreach. Would you like help accessing confidential support as well?” 

Following the disclosure, please submit a prompt report to the Office for Civil Rights and Equity.

Submit a Report

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