The University of New Mexico
PA-12: Employee Rights

Employees and their supervisors/managers must be aware of employee rights so that they are protected, and measures properly implemented to ensure those protections. Access to this information and resources is critical. All UNM policies and union contracts are available online: https://hr.unm.edu/labor-relations/union-information. The various staff, faculty, and graduate student unions are given an area to post information about rights and grievance processes in their respective work areas. The UNM Office of Compliance, Ethics, and Equal Opportunity has a website that outlines what its areas of responsibility for such issues such as ADA, Title IX, Clery Act, and Campus Safety, and what grievance processes are available. The Human Resources Department has a website that posts all mandatory employer posters for downloading at https://hr.unm.edu/mandatory-employer-posters. These posters provide information on HIPPA, FMLA, EEO, and more.

The Office of Compliance, Ethics, and Equal Opportunity (CEEO), led by the Chief Compliance Officer reporting directly to the President, engages in ethical oversight, applies compliance measures, and hosts both a telephone hotline and web reporting system, unmethicspoint.com, for whistleblowers. UNM has a policy that protects whistleblowers from reporting misconduct and a process for reporting: https://ceeo.unm.edu/reporting/whistleblower.html. Whistleblower reports flow to relevant offices, such as Academic Affairs, where responsive actions are documented in the EthicsPoint application. Housed within CEEO, the Office of Equal Opportunity responds to claims of discrimination against members of protected classes with educational sessions and formal investigations. Upon completion of investigations, CEEO forwards its report to the UNM Hearing Office, which makes determinations. In conjunction with the hearing officer's determination, sanctions are at times imposed; these may be appealed.

UNM uses required annual online trainings to ensure best understanding on topics such as discrimination and harassment. Students receive in-person trainings, including the "Grey Area." Directed by a Clery Act Compliance Officer, UNM meets the requirements of the federal Clery Act for disclosure of campus security information and requires certain individuals to be trained Campus Security Authorities (CSAs). All university administrators, including departmental chairs and directors of units, are mandatory reporters to CEEO of complaints of discrimination based on membership in protected classes. University faculty and staff must either report complaints of sexual harassment and assault or refer complainants to a confidential advocacy center so that the complainant can make a supported decision about action.

The UNM Wayfinder helps employees navigate supportive services and reporting options available to them at UNM on a number of topics, including anti-harassment and grievance resolution: https://wayfinder.unm.edu/faculty-options/faculty-options-discrimination-and-harassment.html

To address individual workplace and academic concerns, UNM maintains Ombuds / dispute resolution services for faculty, staff, and graduate students. These offices provide confidential, informal, impartial, and independent consultations for individuals, provide facilitated conversations and mediation between parties, and offer professional development training related to effective dialogue, communicating for accountability, and mediation. In accordance with International Ombudsman Association norms, UNM Ombuds offices are outside of any formal decision-making channel, but have standing to bring systemic and process concerns to the attention of university authorities. https://ombuds.unm.edu/