VII. Retaliation Prohibited

Any form of retaliation against someone for resisting sexually harassing behavior, reporting a complaint under this policy, assisting the complainant, or cooperating in an investigation of a complaint is strictly prohibited by this policy, and may be unlawful. No executive branch employee will be reprimanded or retaliated against for initiating an inquiry or complaint in good faith or for cooperating in good faith in the investigation of a complaint. Any incident experienced or witnessed by an employee that is believed to be an act of retaliation should immediately be reported to the employee’s supervisor, appointing authority or designee, the Department of Administrative Services or the Governor’s Office. A report of retaliatory behavior shall be regarded as a separate and distinct case for investigation and discipline, regardless of the outcome of the original complaint.