1. What are supportive measures?
Supportive measures are non-disciplinary, non-punitive, individualized support services available to staff and/or faculty who believe they may have currently (or in the past) experienced discrimination, harassment, or retaliation related to one or more protected characteristics, such as race, gender, disability, religion, shared ancestry and ethnic characteristics, etc.
2. What is their purpose?
Supportive measures are designed to address the physical safety and emotional well-being of USC community members, as well as to restore or preserve equal access to the University’s programs, services, and activities (including employment and education) without unreasonably burdening the other party, or to deter discrimination, harassment, or retaliation. Supportive measures may be made available to community members at any point after a report is made to EEO-TIX and throughout any ensuing resolution process.
3. Who can access supportive measures?
Supportive measures are available for Respondents (the persons about whom a concern was reported), Reporting Parties (the persons identified to have been impacted by the reported concern), witnesses, and other members of the USC community. Supportive measures are typically requested by faculty and staff based on their unique needs and circumstances.
3. Are there limits on supportive measures?
Supportive measures must be appropriate, reasonably available, and free of charge. There is not an exhaustive list of supportive measures. The EEO-TIX Intake, Outreach, and Support Team encourages USC community members to ask for what might be helpful to them. They will then seek to determine whether the requested supportive measure can be provided. If it cannot, the team will explore available alternative supportive measures.
Under federal law, supportive measures cannot unreasonably burden another person.
4. Must staff or faculty file a formal complaint to obtain supportive measures?
No. Staff and/or faculty may contact EEO-TIX at eeotix@usc.edu or (213) 740-5086 with a protected class concern, and they will be connected to the EEO-TIX Intake, Outreach, and Support team to discuss possible supportive measures. Staff and faculty also do not need to share all the details regarding their protected class concern to receive supportive measures.
A report to EEO-TIX is not the same as a Formal Complaint and does not necessarily lead to an investigation. Staff and faculty may decide to only access supportive measures and not proceed with a Formal Complaint. EEO-TIX will seek to honor a person’s preferred course of action whenever possible.
5. What are specific examples of a protected characteristic concern?
Some specific examples include:
- An employee believes that they were discriminated against or harassed on the basis of race by being racially profiled with respect to late-night access to a University building.
- An employee has experienced some form of sexual misconduct, such as domestic violence at home or sexual harassment in the workplace.
- An employee believes they are being treated differently with respect to job opportunities based on their national origin or ethnicity.
- A person believes that the workplace environment is hostile because coworkers are making derogatory comments to them related to their religion.
- An employee is being regularly misgendered in their workplace in a mocking manner.
A full list of protected characteristics can be found in the University’s Notice of Nondiscrimination Statement.
6. What are examples of supportive measures?
- Connection to counseling through WorkWell Center
- Mutual Avoidance of Contact (AOC) directive (a non-punitive, non-disciplinary administrative measure designed to minimize conflict)
- Parking accommodations
- Workplace modifications (if student employees)
- Work schedule modifications
- Department of Public Safety escort services
- Other reasonably available supportive measures
7. When else may EEO-TIX offer supportive measures?
If a Formal Complaint is filed, all parties are assigned an EEO-TIX Intake, Outreach, and Care Manager to periodically check on them throughout the formal resolution process (i.e., investigation) and to offer reasonably available supportive measures.
8. Who comprises the Intake, Outreach, and Support Team and what is the team’s role?
The role of the intake team at EEO-TIX is to serve as the “front door.” They are the team members who respond to initial reports to conduct outreach and offer support resources, resolution options, and an invitation to meet. EEO-TIX has two Deputy Coordinators for Intake, Outreach, and Support; a dedicated Deputy EEO-TIX Coordinator for Healthcare; and four Intake, Outreach, and Care Managers. The primary role of the EEO-TIX Intake, Outreach, and Care Managers is to prioritize the care and wellbeing of USC community members, including faculty and staff, by facilitating supportive measures.