Non-discrimination Policy
It is the Policy of The Greater Pensacola Junior Golf Association Inc. dba First Tee Gulf Coast (herein described
as First Tee Gulf Coast) to maintain an environment free of sexual harassment and discrimination. We strive to
create a safe, inclusive, and equitable atmosphere for all our staff, volunteers and youth participants. Unlawful
employment discrimination and sexual harassment by any employee or volunteer will not be tolerated. Any
retaliation against an individual who has complained about sexual harassment or unlawful discrimination is also
unlawful and will not be tolerated.
Persons who violate this policy will be subject to disciplinary action up to and including termination of
employment or any contract status.
Sexual harassment or unlawful discrimination includes any conduct that, by reference to gender, race, color,
religion, national origin, citizenship, handicap, age, sexual orientation, gender identity expression, or status as a
military veteran, abuses or disparages a person or persons so as to adversely affect their work performance with
First Tee Gulf Coast.
First Tee Gulf Coast prohibits and does not tolerate sexual abuse or misconduct in the workplace or during any
organization-related activity. First Tee Gulf Coast provides procedures for employees, volunteers, board members
or any other victims of sexual abuse or misconduct to report such acts. Those reasonably suspected or believed to
have committed sexual abuse or misconduct will be appropriately disciplined, up to and including termination of
employment or membership, as well as criminally prosecuted. No employee, volunteer, board member or other
person, regardless of his or her title or position has the authority to commit or allow sexual abuse or misconduct.
Any individual who wishes to pose questions or to register a complaint about harassment, who has been solicited
for information or advice about harassment, or who has been accused of harassment, may take action concerning a
case of harassment and is encouraged to seek the advice of counseling. Counseling and/or consultation may be
sought for employees or volunteers as needed.
Definitions and Examples
The following definitions or examples of sexual abuse, misconduct or harassment, may apply to any and/or all of
the following persons – employees, volunteers or other third parties.
Sexual abuse or misconduct may include, but is not limited to:
- Child sexual abuse – any sexual activity, involvement, or attempt of sexual contact with a person who is a
minor (under 18 years old) where consent is not or cannot be given. - Sexual activity with another who is legally incompetent or otherwise unable to give consent.
- Physical assaults or violence, such as rape, sexual battery, abuse, molestation or any attempt to commit such
acts. - Unwanted and intentional physical conduct that is sexual in nature, such as touching, pinching, patting,
brushing, massaging someone’s neck or shoulders, and/or pulling against another’s body or clothes. - Material such as pornographic or sexually explicit images, posters, calendars, or objects.
- Unwelcome and inappropriate sexual activities, advances, comments, innuendoes, bullying, jokes, gestures,
electronic communications or messages (e.g.email, text, social media, voicemail), exploitation, exposure,
leering, stalking or invasion of sexual privacy. - A sexually hostile environment characterized as comments or conduct that unreasonably interferes with one’s
work performance or ability to do the job or creates an intimidating, hostile, or offensive environment. - Direct or implied threats that submission to sexual advances will be a condition of employment or affiliation
with the organization. - Sexual harassment or unlawful discrimination includes any conduct that, by reference to gender, race, color,
religion, national origin, citizenship, handicap, age, sexual orientation, or status as a military veteran, abuses
or disparages a person or persons so as to adversely affect their work performance with First Tee Gulf Coast.
Reporting Procedure
Immediately report suspected sexual abuse or misconduct to Head Coach, Executive Staff (CEO, Operations or
Program Directors), Member of the Board. It is not required to directly confront the person who is the source of
the report, question or complaint before notifying any of the individuals listed. First Tee Gulf Coast will take
every reasonable measure to ensure that those named in the complaint of misconduct, or are too closely associated
with those involved in the complaint will not be part of the investigative team.
Anti-retaliation and False Allegations
First Tee Gulf Coast prohibits retaliation made against any employee, volunteer, board member, or other person
who lodges a good faith complaint of sexual abuse or misconduct or who participates in any related investigation.
Making knowingly false or malicious accusations of sexual abuse or misconduct can have serious consequences
for those who are wrongly accused. First Tee Gulf Coast prohibits making false or malicious sexual misconduct
allegations, as well as deliberately providing false information during an investigation. Anyone who violates this
rule is subject to disciplinary action, up to and including termination of employment or membership and criminal
prosecution.
Investigation and Follow-up
First Tee Gulf Coast will take all allegations of sexual abuse or misconduct seriously and will promptly,
thoroughly, and equitably investigate whether misconduct has taken place. The organization may utilize an
outside third party to conduct an investigation of misconduct. First Tee Gulf Coast will cooperate fully with any
investigation conducted by law enforcement or other regulatory/protective services agencies. First Tee Gulf Coast
will make every reasonable effort to keep the matters involved in the allegation as confidential as possible while
still allowing for a prompt and thorough investigation.
Reporting to Law Enforcement or Appropriate Child or Adult Protective Services
First Tee Gulf Coast is committed to following the state and federal legal requirements for reporting allegations or
incidents of sexual abuse or misconduct to appropriate law enforcement and child or adult protective services
organizations. It is the policy of First Tee Gulf Coast not to attempt to investigate or assess the validity or
credibility of an allegation of sexual or physical abuse as a condition before reporting the allegation to proper law
enforcement authorities or protective services organizations.
Florida Department of Children and Families Website: https://www.myflfamilies.com/serviceprograms/abuse-hotline/report/definitions.shtml
Any person, including professionally mandatory reports, should contact the FloridaAbuse Hotline when they
know or have reasonable cause to suspect that a child or
vulnerable adult has been abused, abandoned, neglected, or exploited. The Hotline hascounselors
available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The Hotline counselor will determine if the information
provided meets legalrequirements to accept a report for investigation.
How to make a report:
- By Telephone 1-800-96ABUSE 800-962-2873
- By Fax 800-914-0004
- Florida Relay 711
- By TTY 800-955-8771
- Web Reporting https://reportabuse.dcf.state.fl.us
Additional Resource: childwelfare.gov
Employee and Worker Screening and Selection
As part of its sexual abuse and misconduct prevention program, First Tee Gulf Coast is committed to maintaining
a diligent screening program for prospective and existing employees, volunteers and others that may have
interaction with those employed by, associating with or serviced by First Tee Gulf Coast. The organization may
utilize a variety of methods of screening and selection, including but not limited to applications, personal
interviews, criminal background checks and personal and professional references. First Tee Gulf Coast currently
(as of 2020) utilizes U.S. Center for Safesport for training and education to accurately prevent, recognize and
respond to potential abuse/discrimination situations.
Supervision of Youth
First Tee Gulf Coast is committed to creating and maintaining a safe, welcoming and inclusive environment for
amateur athletes, children, and all participants affiliated with the organization. First Tee Gulf Coast adamantly
opposes all forms of abuse.
First Tee Gulf Coast hereby adopts the following Prevention Policies for itself and all chapters as guidelines to
promote appropriate behaviors and activities. These Policies relate to the following areas:
- One-on-one Interactions, including meetings and individual lessons (First Tee Gulf Coast is required to
establish reasonable procedures to limit one-on-one interactions) - Bathrooms and changing areas
- Social media and electronic communications
- Local travel
- Chapter travel/Participant Opportunities
These Policies shall apply to 1. Adults who have regular contact with participants who are minors, 2. Any adult authorized by First Tee Gulf Coast to have regular contact with or authority over a participant who is a minor, and 3. Adult staff, all volunteers and board members of First Tee Gulf Coast.
POLICIES FOR ONE-ON-ONE INTERACTIONS
A. Mandatory Components
Observable and interruptible
- One-on-one interactions between a minor participant and an adult (who is not the minor’s legal guardian) are
permitted if they occur at an observable and interruptible distance by another adult except under emergency
circumstances.
Meetings - Meetings between adults and minor participants may only occur if another adult is present, except under
emergency circumstances. Such meetings must occur where interactions can be easily observed and at an
interruptible distance from another adult. - If a one-on-one meeting takes place in an office, the door to the office must remain unlocked and open. If
available, it will occur in an office that has windows, with the windows, blinds, and/or curtains remaining
open during the meeting. - Individual lessons between adults and minor participants are permitted if the lesson is observable and
interruptible by another adult. It is the responsibility of the adult to obtain the written permission of the
minor’s legal guardian in advance of the individual lesson if it is not observable and interruptible by another
adult. Permission for individual lessons must be obtained at least every six months. Parents, guardians, and
other caretakers must be allowed to observe the lesson.
BATHROOM AND CHANGING AREAS
Use of recording devices - Use of any device’s (including a cell phone) recording capabilities, including voice recording, still
cameras and video cameras in bathrooms, changing areas, or similar spaces is prohibited.
Undress - Under no circumstances shall an unrelated adult intentionally expose his or her breasts, buttocks, groin,
or genitals to a minor participant.
One-on-one interactions - Except for participants on the same team, at no time are unrelated adults permitted to be alone with a
minor participant in a bathroom or changing area, except under emergency circumstances. - If a chapter is using a facility that only has a single bathroom or changing area, designate separate
times for use by adults, if any.
Monitoring - First Tee Gulf Coast coaches will regularly and randomly monitor the use of bathrooms and changing
areas to ensure compliance with these policies.
SOCIAL MEDIA & ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATIONS
- All electronic communication originating from adults to minor participants must be professional in nature.
- Absent emergency circumstances, if an adult needs to communicate directly with a minor participant via
electronic communications (including social media), another adult or the minor’s legal guardian will be
copied. - If a minor participant communicates to the adult privately first, said adult should respond to the minor
participant with a copy to another adult or the minor’s legal guardian. - When an adult communicates electronically to the entire team, said adult will copy another adult.
- Adults with authority over minor participants are not permitted to maintain private social media
connections with unrelated minor participants and such adults are not permitted to accept new personal
page requests on social media platforms from minor participants, unless the adult has a fan page, or the
contact is deemed a celebrity contact vs. regular contact. Existing social media connections on personal
pages with minor participants shall be discontinued. - Minor participants may “friend” the organization’s official page and are discouraged from “friending”
personal social media pages of adults. - Legal guardians may request in writing that their minor participant not be contacted through any form of
electronic communication by the organization or by the adults subject to this policy. First Tee Gulf Coast
will abide by any such request that their minor participants not be contacted via electronic
communication, absent emergency circumstances. - Electronic communications should generally only be sent during normal waking hours, i.e. not at night,
unless emergency circumstances exist, or while traveling for competition. - First Tee Gulf Coast monitors its social media pages and removes any posts that violate the organization’s
policies and practices for appropriate behavior. - First Tee Gulf Coast will inform the legal guardian of a minor participant of any prohibited posts, as well
as the organization’s administrator
CHAPTER TRAVEL
A. Mandatory Components – Chapter travel is travel to a competition or other team activity that the organization
plans and supervises, such as a national participant opportunity.
- When only one adult and one minor participant travel to a competition, the minor participant must have
his/her legal guardian’s written permission in advance and for each competition to travel alone with said
adult.
Hotel rooms - Adults shall not share a hotel room or other sleeping arrangements with a minor participant (unless the
Adult is the legal guardian, sibling, or is otherwise related to the minor participant). - Team travel policies must be signed and agreed to by all minor participants, parents, and adults traveling
with the organization. - Adults who travel with First Tee Gulf Coast must successfully pass a criminal background check and other
screening requirements consistent with First Tee Gulf Coast policies. - During team travel, when conducting room checks, attending team meetings and/or other activities, two
adults should be present and observable and interruptible environments should be maintained. - Meetings should not be conducted in a hotel room.
To provide a safe environment for minors, First Tee Gulf Coast Gulf Coast strives that a minimum of two adult
workers supervise or be in attendance with minors during organization-related activities. The purpose is to avoid
one-on-one interactions between adults and minors that are not easily observable by others. If individual meetings
with a minor must be held in an office, keep the door open. Only conduct closed door meetings when another
adult is put on notice of the meeting and the door remains unlocked.
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