Principles of UW–Madison’s policies on HIB

Hostile and Intimidating Behavior (HIB) is unwelcome conduct, while engaged in or relating to employment or appointment activities, that does not further the legitimate academic or operational interests of the institution and is conduct that a reasonable person would find is so severe or pervasive that it:

1. Makes the complainant’s conditions for work inhospitable or intolerable and/or;
2. Unreasonably and negatively affects the complainant’s well-being or safety in the workplace and/or;
3. Unreasonably interferes with the complainant’s ability to carry out their work responsibilities to the University. A complaint alleging HIB will be assessed in consideration of the totality of the circumstances. A single act will typically not be sufficient to establish a violation of this policy. However, a single severe or egregious act may constitute a violation.

Repeated acts or a pattern of hostile and/or intimidating behaviors are of particular concern. A single act typically will not be sufficient to warrant discipline or dismissal, but an especially severe or egregious act may warrant either.

A link to the full HIB policy is here.

Undesired consequences of HIB can be avoided or minimized when the problem is addressed early on, but victims are often hesitant to pursue a formal process before the impact of HIB is severe. Educational opportunities and campus resources have been implemented with the intent of aiding all employees in defusing situations before they become severe. These resources, including trained personnel who can advise and mediate, comprise the “informal process.” It is possible that situations will continue to arise in which informal interventions are not effective, and the “formal process” has been designed to address those situations.

You are encouraged to seek out advice and consultation after the first instance of HIB: consultation is not escalation. Discussing what’s happened in a timely way can often prevent continued bullying. Here are some ways to do this:

1. Seek advice from a trusted colleague;
2. You may choose to seek informal resolution to HIB by approaching the individual yourself or with an intermediary;
3. Consult your supervisor, manager, HR representative, department chair, director, dean, personal representative, labor union representative, or any campus resource to discuss options for resolution;
4. Keep notes of what happened, when, where, and who was present. Retain copies of any correspondence.

Early consultation may help avoid claims of retaliation and facilitate resolution of the situation. You will be informed of any complaint filed against you and provided with an opportunity to respond. You should contact your supervisor, a member of the Ombuds office, Employee Assistance Office, labor union or personal representative, or another campus resource.

1. Seek early consultation with a campus resource outside the unit/department/school/college/division (including Ombuds, Employee Assistance, Vice Provost for Faculty and Staff)
2. Write notes of what you recall
3. Avoid meeting with accuser (with others or alone) to avoid escalation
4. Learn about the formal and informal HIB processes on campus

(e.g. principal investigator, supervisor, manager, department chair, director, dean)

You are responsible for:

1. taking reasonable steps to prevent hostile and intimidating behavior in your unit;
2. taking immediate and appropriate corrective action to stop hostile and intimidating behavior when you know or have reason to know it may exist, and enlisting help from campus resources to address HIB;
3. preventing its recurrence
4. remedying effects that could reasonably have been prevented, and
5. including the prevention of HIB in departmental on-boarding practices.

Hostile and intimidating behavior can arise in a healthy environment but it often develops in negative climates. If you have concerns about the climate in your area, consult with the Office of Equity and Diversity, the Vice Provost for Faculty and Staff, the Ombuds office, or other support offices to learn about proactive measures to improve the climate for all individuals.

1. Distribute relevant policies to new faculty and staff and to all employees periodically and when there are modifications to the policy.
2. Schedule information sessions on HIB and promote attendance by all department/unit members.
3. Encourage employees and students to come forward with questions, concerns, and allegations.
4. Avoid discouraging people from “going outside the department with problems.” (A person may not be comfortable reporting within the department and may not seek help if the department’s culture discourages outside assistance.)
5. Take every complaint seriously and ensure that others do as well. Ensure that your department adequately addresses all complaints. If you have questions about the scope of your responsibility, contact the Vice Provost for Faculty and Staff, the Secretary of the Faculty, the Secretary of the Academic Staff, or the Secretary of the University Staff, or another campus resource.
6. Keep allegations confidential except on a “need to know” basis unless a policy requires disclosure.
7. Ensure that no retaliation occurs against the person making the allegations and that the person charged with hostile and intimidating behavior is not assumed guilty and/or disciplined on the basis of allegations alone.
8. For the protection of all parties, comply with all applicable university procedures and ensure that your department fully cooperates with any investigation.

Listen to the report of alleged HIB sympathetically but objectively. Keep the expectations and advice for consultation offered in this site in mind during your conversation(s).

Encourage the individual to contact someone who can explain alternatives available to resolve the situation. If requested, and if you are comfortable doing so, assist the individual in reporting the behavior. The HIB policy includes a prohibition of retaliation, which is designed to protect all involved in the process. Keep allegations confidential, except as necessary to cooperate with appropriate university officials or to adhere to university policy. Be sensitive to the vulnerability of employees in subordinate positions who experience HIB involving one or more supervisors. Opportunities for guidance and support at every stage of the process must be made available in a setting safe from fear of retaliation.