Discrimination and harassment policy
Scope
Associates and those with whom they work, including suppliers, dealers, customers, visitors, and contingent workers (i.e., temporary labor or contractors), have the right to work in an environment free from harassing and/or discriminatory behavior or retaliation for reporting or opposing harassment, discrimination, and/or retaliation or for participating in an investigation or legal proceeding relating to allegations of the same. It is the responsibility of an employee to refrain from creating a discriminatory or harassing environment and to refrain from engaging in retaliation. Employees are responsible for treating others with dignity and respect and to report all incidents of alleged harassment, discrimination, or retaliation immediately. While this policy applies to the U.S., MillerKnoll is committed to applying these principles and values worldwide. Please refer to related local policies on these topics or contact your local Human Resources Business Partner for additional information.
Important Information
MillerKnoll, Inc. (the "Company") will not tolerate discrimination, harassment or retaliation. Harassing, discriminating, and/or retaliatory behavior undermines the integrity of employment relationships and interferes with productivity. Employees are responsible for ensuring that all MillerKnoll, Inc. workplaces are free from prohibited harassment, discrimination, and retaliation whether or not the behavior results in a violation of the law.
MillerKnoll, Inc., will not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, creed, color, national origin or ancestry, sex (including pregnancy, lactation, childbirth or related medical conditions), age (40 and over), physical disability, mental disability, medical condition, marital status, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, citizenship status, religion, height, weight, military status, veteran status, uniformed servicemember status, genetic information (including testing and characteristics), or any other status protected by federal, state or local law. State and federal laws prohibit discrimination in recruitment, hiring, compensation, training, participation in apprenticeship programs, promotion, demotion, transfer, layoff, termination, benefits, and other terms and conditions of employment.
Disability and Accommodation
To comply with applicable laws ensuring equal employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities, MillerKnoll will make reasonable accommodations for the known physical or mental limitations of an otherwise qualified individual with a disability who is an applicant or an employee, unless undue hardship and/or a direct threat to the health and/or safety of the individual or others would result. Any employee who requires an accommodation in order to perform the essential functions of their job, enjoy an equal employment opportunity, and/or obtain equal job benefits should contact Human Resources to request such an accommodation. Human Resources will communicate with the employee and engage in an interactive process to determine the nature of the issue and what, if any, reasonable accommodation(s) may be appropriate. In some cases, this interactive process may be triggered without a request from the employee, such as when the Company receives notice from its own observation or another source that a medical impairment may be impacting the employee's ability to perform essential job functions.
Employees who believe they need an accommodation must specify, preferably in writing, what barriers or limitations prompted the request. The Company will evaluate information obtained from the employee, and possibly the employee's health care provider or another appropriate health care provider, regarding any reported or apparent barriers or limitations, and will then work with the employee to identify possible accommodations, if any, that will help to eliminate or otherwise address the barrier(s) or limitation(s). If an identified accommodation is reasonable and will not impose an undue hardship on the Company and/or a direct threat to the health and/or safety of the individual or others, MillerKnoll will generally make the accommodation, or it may propose another reasonable accommodation which may also be effective. Employees are required to cooperate with this process by providing all necessary documentation supporting the need for accommodation and being willing to consider alternative accommodations when applicable.
Employees who wish to request unpaid time away from work to accommodate a disability should speak to Human Resources.
Religious Accommodation
MillerKnoll will provide reasonable accommodation for employees' religious beliefs, observances, and practices when a need for such accommodation is identified and reasonable accommodation is possible. A reasonable accommodation is one that eliminates the conflict between an employee's religious beliefs, observances, or practices and the employee's job requirements, without causing undue hardship to the Company.
MillerKnoll has developed an accommodation process to assist employees, management, and Human Resources. Through this process, the Company establishes a system of open communication between employees and the Company to discuss conflicts between religion and work and to take action to provide reasonable accommodation for employees' needs. The intent of this process is to ensure a consistent approach when addressing religious accommodation requests. Any employee who perceives a conflict between job requirements and religious belief, observance, or practice should bring the conflict and request for accommodation to the attention of their Human Resources Business Partner to initiate the accommodation process. The Company requests that accommodation requests be made in writing, and in the case of schedule adjustments, as far in advance as possible.
Pregnancy Accommodation
In accordance with the federal Pregnant Workers Fairness Act ("PWFA"), MillerKnoll will make reasonable accommodations for known physical or mental limitations related to the pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions of a qualified applicant or employee, unless the accommodation would impose an undue hardship on the operation of the Company's business.
"Known physical or mental limitations" are those that the applicant, employee or their representative has communicated to the Company. Employees or applicants who wish to inform the Company of such a limitation and/or request a reasonable accommodation under this policy should contact their Human Resources representative, preferably specifying in writing, what barriers or limitations prompted the request. Human Resources will evaluate information provided regarding any reported or apparent barriers or limitations and will then communicate with the applicant or employee and engage in an interactive process to determine the nature of the limitation and what, if any, reasonable accommodation(s) may be appropriate. If, through this interactive process, the Company and the individual arrive at a reasonable accommodation that does not impose an undue hardship on the operation of the Company's business, the Company will make that accommodation.
Employees who wish to request time away from work to accommodate a limitation related to pregnancy, childbirth or a related medical condition should contact Human Resources. However, MillerKnoll will not require a qualified employee to take leave if another reasonable accommodation can be provided.
A number of states and localities have laws that apply to employees affected by pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions. For individuals working in a jurisdiction that has a mandatory pregnancy accommodation law, the Company will comply with all legal requirements, including providing greater or different benefits than those indicated here.
MillerKnoll prohibits discrimination on the basis of pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions. MillerKnoll also will not interfere with any individual's rights under the PWFA or take adverse action against a qualified applicant or employee because they request or use reasonable accommodations in accordance with this policy, report or oppose discrimination under the PWFA, or participate in a proceeding involving an alleged violation of the PWFA. Individuals who believe they have been subjected to, or believe that another individual has been subjected to, prohibited discrimination or retaliation should report it immediately to any Human Resources representative.
Sexual and Other Prohibited Harassment
MillerKnoll, Inc. prohibits harassment on the basis of these same protected characteristics, including race, religion, creed, color, ancestry, national origin or ancestry, sex (including pregnancy, lactation, childbirth or related medical conditions), age (40 and over), disability, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, citizenship status, religion, height, weight, military status, veteran status, uniformed servicemember status, genetic information (including testing and characteristics), or any other status protected by federal, state or local law.
This Policy applies to all persons at the Company regardless of their position and prohibits harassing conduct by any employee or other person involved in the Company's operations, including but not limited to, supervisors, managers, and nonsupervisory employees. This Policy also protects employees from prohibited harassment by third parties, such as customers, vendors, clients, and visitors. If such harassment occurs in the workplace by someone not employed by the Company, the procedures in this Policy should be followed.
The workplace includes: actual worksites, any setting in which work-related business is being conducted (whether during or after normal business hours), online and electronic interactions with company employees and third parties involved in our operations, company-sponsored events, or company owned/controlled property.
Sexual harassment includes unwelcome sexual advances, including gender-based or same-sex-based comments and conduct, requests for sexual favors, or visual, verbal, or physical conduct of a sexual nature.
Examples of such conduct might include, but are not limited to, off-color jokes, language, cartoons, nicknames, or propositions; repeated unwanted social invitations; crude gestures; touching or pinching; sexually oriented material; and suggestive or insulting sounds.
It violates MillerKnoll, Inc.'s policy when:
Submission to unwelcome conduct or communication of a sexual nature is made, either explicitly or implicitly, a term or condition of employment;
Submission to or rejection of the advances is used as a basis for tangible job benefits and/or employment decisions; or
Conduct has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with an individual's work performance or creates an intimidating, hostile, or offensive working environment, even if the individual making the report is not the intended target of such conduct.
Other discriminatory harassment is defined as any behavior or pattern of behavior that creates an intimidating or offensive work environment or otherwise affects employment opportunities.
Examples of such conduct include, but are not limited to, epithets, slurs, negative stereotyping, threatening or intimidating acts that relate to an employee's protected characteristic, and written or graphic material that degrades or shows hostility or aversion toward an employee with a protected characteristic.
It violates MillerKnoll, Inc.'s, policy when a working environment is oppressive to members of a protected group because of the actions of, including but not limited to, coworkers, Leaders, or customers. This includes, but is not limited to, hostile actions taken against an individual because of that individual's sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or the status of being transgender, such as sabotaging an individual's work, bullying, yelling, name-calling, or interfering with an individual's workspace or their ability to perform the job.
Following are examples of conduct/behavior that may be considered harassing, discriminatory, or retaliatory. The list provided below is not meant to be all-inclusive:
Verbal harassment, such as name calling or derogatory comments, innuendos, whistling or making suggestive or insulting sounds;
Lewd or sexually suggestive comments, offensive language or gestures, or jokes of a sexual nature;
Physical conduct, including unwelcome or inappropriate touching of employees, customers or vendors, physical violence, intimidation, touching, assault, impeding or blocking movement, or any physical interference with normal work or movement when directed at an individual;
Visual forms of harassment, such as derogatory posters, cartoons, or drawings that are offensive, leering, emails or text messages;
Requests for sexual favors, sexual advances, and other verbal or physical conduct or communication of a sexual nature;
Transmitting sexually suggestive, derogatory, or offensive materials via company computers, email, or voice mail or accessing such information on the internet;
Use of abusive or threatening language toward other employees or any other person on company premises;
Comments that stereotype an individual;
Inducing other employees to violate company policies;
Threatening retaliation for reporting inappropriate behavior or conduct.
Sexual harassment can occur regardless of the gender of the person committing it or the person who is exposed to it. Harassment on the basis of sexual orientation, self-identified gender, perceived gender, or transgender status, are all forms of prohibited sexual harassment.
Sexual and discriminatory harassment is unacceptable in the workplace itself and in other work-related settings such as business trips and social events with coworkers (whether or not the social event is sponsored by the company). Such conduct by customers, suppliers, or visitors to MillerKnoll, Inc., will not be tolerated.
Protection Against Retaliation
Retaliation is prohibited against any person by another employee or by the Company for using the below complaint procedure, reporting proscribed discrimination, harassment, sexual harassment, objecting to such conduct, or filing, testifying, assisting or participating in any manner in any investigation, proceeding or hearing conducted by a governmental enforcement agency. Prohibited retaliation includes, but is not limited to, termination, demotion, suspension, failure to hire or consider for hire, failure to give equal consideration in making employment decisions, failure to make employment recommendations impartially, adversely affecting working conditions or otherwise denying any employment benefit.
Individuals who believe they have been subjected to retaliation or believe that another individual has been subjected to retaliation, should report this concern pursuant to the Complaint Procedure set out below. Any report of retaliatory conduct will be investigated in a thorough and objective manner. If a report of retaliation prohibited by this Policy is substantiated, appropriate disciplinary action, up to and including termination of employment, will be taken.
MillerKnoll, Inc., also will not retaliate or discriminate against employees or applicants because they inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of other employees or applicants. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as part of their job function may not disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by MillerKnoll, Inc., or (c) consistent with MillerKnoll, Inc.'s legal duty to furnish information.
Complaint Procedure
If an employee believes they are being harassed, discriminated, or retaliated against or if an employee is aware of or has observed harassing, discriminating, or retaliatory behavior, they should report the incident immediately to either (a) a Human Resources Business Partner; (b) an Employee Relations representative at employee_relations@millerknoll.com; or (c) MillerKnoll, Inc.'s Ethics and Compliance Hotline at https://hermanmiller.navexone.com. Any management representative, including a Leader, who receives a report of harassment, discrimination, or retaliation must report it immediately to a Human Resources Business Partner.
Reports of sexual harassment may be made verbally or in writing. An investigator assigned by the Human Resources of Legal Departments will conduct an investigation of a complaint. The investigation may include interviewing the reporter and the implicated parties and any witnesses to the alleged harassment, discrimination, or retaliation. Employees are expected to participate fully in any investigation of a complaint. Complaints of discrimination, harassment, or retaliation will be promptly, carefully, and thoroughly investigated. The privacy of the reporter, the implicated parties, and the steps taken in the investigation will be kept confidential to the extent consistent with the need to conduct a thorough and objective investigation, and to the extent permitted or required under applicable law. The investigation will be documented and tracked.
If the investigation establishes that the complaint is valid, immediate and appropriate corrective action will be taken to stop the harassment, discrimination, or retaliation and prevent its recurrence. MillerKnoll, Inc., will take necessary and appropriate remedial action, depending on the particulars of each case.
Discipline
If the Company determines that this Policy has been violated, including in the event that a manager knowingly allows the Policy to be violated without reporting it, prompt remedial action will be taken, up to and including termination of employment.
In addition to being subject to discipline for engaging in discrimination, harassing or sexually harassing conduct themselves, Leaders who know or should have known of or who knowingly allow harassment, discrimination, or retaliation to continue, will be disciplined, up to and including separation of employment.
Good Faith Reporting
The initiation of a good faith complaint of discrimination, harassment, sexual harassment or retaliation will not be grounds for disciplinary or other retaliatory action, even if the allegations cannot be substantiated or the employee was mistaken about aspects of the complaint. Any individual who makes a complaint that is demonstrated to be intentionally false may be subject to discipline, up to and including termination.
As set forth above, the company will not tolerate any form of retaliation against employees who allege discrimination or harassment or participate in an investigation.
Sexual harassment is not only prohibited by MillerKnoll, Inc., but is also prohibited by state, federal, and where applicable, local law. Aside from the process outlined above, employees may choose to pursue legal remedies at any time with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).
Many states and localities enforce laws protecting individuals from sexual harassment and discrimination, and employees may contact the county, city, or town in which they live for more information.
If the harassment involves touching, coerced physical confinement, or coerced sex acts, the conduct may constitute a crime. Employees should their local police department.