Our Statement of Position on Harassment

January 15, 2021 | by uwhr1957

Our Statement of Position on Harassment

At United Way of Harrisonburg and Rockingham County, we have no tolerance for discrimination or harassment of any kind. Our mission is “uniting our community to empower people in need.” We do this by working alongside community partners, across all sectors, to ensure more equitable access to opportunities.

There have been a number of reports on the recent allegations of sexual harassment at United Way Worldwide (UWW). These allegations are currently under a third-party investigation, according to communication from UWW (see below).

United Way of Harrisonburg and Rockingham County is one of nearly 1,800 locally-run member organizations of United Way Worldwide.

We are a separate and autonomous organization that is governed by a local board of volunteer directors, who have ultimate authority and oversight over our United Way. We are 100% focused on serving the City of Harrisonburg and Rockingham County.

While we are confident in what we have in place, these situations remind us of the importance of ensuring that staff and volunteers are and feel protected during any of their work with United Way of Harrisonburg and Rockingham County. Over the next several months, our board and staff will be working to improve upon our current policies on harassment. We are committed to ensuring that our workplace remains a safe place for everyone.

United Way Worldwide Response to Allegations

“United Way Worldwide takes all workplace issues and reports of misconduct very seriously. Any type of misconduct is met with zero tolerance and UWW has strong policies and procedures in place to report and address this type of behavior; including protections for those who lodge complaints about misconduct.

We have engaged the law firm of Proskauer Rose LLP to independently investigate allegations of misconduct and review our policies and procedures to ensure that they continue to support an inclusive, respectful and safe work environment. Due to the ongoing investigation and the confidential nature of the claims referenced, we cannot discuss the allegations further.”

For further information please contact Keston Fulcher, Board President (fulchekh@jmu.edu) or Laura Toni-Holsinger, Executive Director (laura.toniholsinger@uwhr.org). Any media inquiries should contact United Way Worldwide directly at www.unitedway.org or 703-836-7100 x 321.