Types of Complaints

The Department of Equity and Inclusion investigates complaints of discrimination, discriminatory harassment, and retaliation.

Learn more about discrimination, discriminatory harassment, and retaliation below to determine whether this office can help you. If you are experiencing any of the behavior described below, please consult our how-to guidelines for filing a complaint.

Discrimination

Emory University is dedicated to providing equal opportunities to all individuals regardless of race, color, religion, ethnic or national origin, gender, genetic information, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, and veteran's status. Emory University does not discriminate in admissions, educational programs, or employment on the basis of any factor stated above or prohibited under applicable law.

Students, faculty, and staff are assured of participation in university programs and in the use of facilities without such discrimination. Emory University complies with all applicable equal employment opportunity laws and regulations and follows the principles outlined above in all aspects of employment including recruitment, hiring, promotions, transfers, discipline, terminations, wage and salary administration, benefits, and training.

If you have experienced or are experiencing discrimination by an Emory University or Emory Healthcare faculty or staff member, please consult our how-to guidelines for filing a complaint.
If you have experienced or are experiencing discrimination by an Emory University undergraduate student, contact Campus Life's Office of Student Conduct to file a report.

Discriminatory Harassment

In keeping with its commitment to maintaining an environment that is free of unlawful discrimination and with its legal obligations, Emory maintains a policy prohibiting unlawful harassment of a non-sexual nature and unlawful harassment of a sexual nature.

Discriminatory Harassment of a Non-Sexual Nature

Discriminatory harassment of a non-sexual nature includes verbal, physical, or graphic conduct that denigrates or shows hostility or aversion toward an individual or group on the basis of race, color, religion, ethnic or national origin, gender, genetic information, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, veteran's status, or any factor that is a prohibited consideration under applicable law, and that is so severe and/or pervasive it:

Has the purpose or effect of creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive employment, educational, or living environment; or
Has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with an individual's work performance or a student's academic performance.

Depending upon its severity and/or pervasiveness, the prohibited behavior may include conduct or material (physical, oral, written, graphic, electronic messages or media posted or circulated in the community) involving epithets, slurs, negative stereotyping, threatening, intimidating, or hostile acts, that serve no scholarly purpose appropriate to the academic context and gratuitously denigrates or shows hostility or aversion toward an individual or group because of race, color, religion, ethnic or national origin, gender, genetic information, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, veteran's status, or any factor protected by applicable law.

If you have experienced or are experiencing discriminatory harassment of a non-sexual nature by an Emory University or Emory Healthcare faculty or staff member, consult our how-to guidelines for filing a complaint.
If you have experienced or are experiencing discrimination by an Emory University undergraduate student, contact Campus Life's Office of Student Conduct to file a report.

Discriminatory Harassment of a Sexual Nature (Sexual Harassment)

Sexual harassment includes unwelcome conduct, based on sex or gender stereotypes, when:

Submission to such conduct is made either explicitly or implicitly a term or condition of an individual's employment or student status;
Submission to or rejection of such conduct is used as the basis for employment or academic decisions affecting such individual; or
Such conduct is so severe and/or pervasive it has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with a person's university employment, academic performance or participation in university programs or activities, or creates a working, learning, program, or activity environment that a reasonable person would find intimidating, hostile, or offensive.

Depending upon the severity and/or pervasiveness of the conduct, sexual harassment may include, for example, subjecting a person to egregious, unwelcome sexual attention, physical or verbal advances, sexual flirtations or propositions, vulgar talk or jokes, degrading graphic materials or verbal comments of a sexual nature about an individual or his or her appearance, or the display of sexually suggestive objects outside a scholarly context and purpose.

Sexual harassment includes sexual misconduct, sexual violence, sexual assault, intimate partner violence, stalking, and gender-based bullying. Prohibited sexual harassment in the working or learning environment includes an attempt to coerce an unwilling person into a sexual relationship; to punish a refusal to comply with a sexual-based request; to condition a benefit on submitting to sexual advances, and to make direct or implied threats that submission to sexual advances will be a condition of employment or academic opportunity. Sexual harassment may also occur in the form of unwelcome, sexually suggestive cartoons, pictures, email, text, tweets, video, or other graphic materials that may contribute to a hostile working or learning environment.

If you have experienced or are experiencing discriminatory harassment of a sexual nature by an Emory University or Emory Healthcare faculty or staff member, consult our how-to guidelines for filing a complaint.
If you have experienced or are experiencing discriminatory harassment of a sexual nature (sexual harassment) by an Emory University student, contact the Division of Campus Life's Office of Student Conduct to file a report of sexual misconduct. In this situation, refer to Emory's Sexual Misconduct Policy which governs situations in which a student is alleged to have engaged in sexual misconduct.

Retaliation

Retaliation against an individual who, in good faith, complains about discrimination or discriminatory harassment or participates in an investigation or a hearing relating to an allegation of discrimination or harassment is prohibited.

If you have experienced or are experiencing retaliation by an Emory University or Emory Healthcare faculty or staff member, consult our how-to guidelines for filing a complaint.
If you have experienced or are experiencing retaliation by an Emory University undergraduate student, please contact the Division of Campus Life's Office of Student Conduct to file a report.