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Code of conduct

What is a code of conduct? “A code of conduct is a set of values, rules, standards, and principles outlining what employers expect from staff and customers of an organization.”

Burghers Brewing Co. is a family business. Working for Burghers brewing co, whether cleaning a tank, pouring a beer, washing dishes, cooking, prepping, or greeting our guests is a labor of love. We make sure everyone on our team can succeed and thrive both at work and in their personal lives.  We are committed to providing a welcoming and safe experience for everyone, period.  We will not accept any form of discrimination on any level.  It is our policy to provide equal employment opportunities to all qualified individuals.  These core values drive how we behave and guide our decision making.  This Company takes allegations of discrimination, intimidation, harassment, and retaliation very seriously and will promptly conduct an investigation when warranted.

We do not tolerate the following behaviors from anyone:

  • Belittling, or subtle expressions of bias
  • Verbal, physical, or written abuse, assault, or violence
  • Bullying, intimidation, or victimization
  • Discrimination
  • Inappropriate use of company property or assets
  • Failure to comply with company values.
  • Illegal activity
  • Harassment including, but not limited to:
  • ~Offensive or unwelcome comments related to gender, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, disability, mental illness, physical appearance, body size, age, race, religion, or lifestyle choices.
  • ~Deliberate misgendering, refusal to respect an individual’s pronouns, or use of ‘dead’ or rejected names.
  • ~Unwelcome sexual attention or non-consenting physical contact and simulated physical contact (e.g., textual descriptions like “*hug*” or “* back rub*”).
  • ~Stalking or following.
  • ~Deliberate “outing” of any aspect of a person’s identity without their consent except as necessary to protect vulnerable people from intentional abuse.

The Code of Conduct is in place to establish clear standards and consequences. We expect everyone including persons doing business with or for Burghers Brewing to abide by this code of conduct. All employees are expected to exhibit conduct that reflects inclusion during work, at work functions on or off the worksite, and at all other organization-sponsored and participative events. Any employee found to have exhibited any inappropriate conduct or behavior against others may be subject to disciplinary action up to and including termination.

GUEST, CUSTOMER, & VENDOR BEHAVIOR

Burghers Brewing Co. is delighted to welcome everyone to our brewery, taprooms & restaurants and we strive to make a visit to the any of our locations a positive experience for all. We also look forward to seeing Burgher’s beer poured in restaurants and bars all around the greater Pittsburgh area and beyond. To help maintain and continually improve our industry, we ask that our guests, customers, and vendors treat our team and customers with courtesy, dignity, and respect at all times through all types of communications. Our employees have the right to remove and/or ban those whose do not abide by our code of conduct.

Consequences for Violating the Code of Conduct

Customers, Vendors, and Contractors:

Burghers brewing co. and its employees reserve the right to ask customers, vendors, or contractors to leave and not return to the premises or to cease an existing working relationship if this code of conduct is violated.

Employees:

Adhering to the code of conduct is a must for employment. All employees have formally agreed to the code of conduct.

Reporting

To report unacceptable behavior anyone may go directly to the manager, ownership, or email fiore@burgherspgh.com

ALCOHOL RESPONSIBILITY

  • Minors are not permitted at the bar, to consume or be supplied with alcohol.
  • We are responsible for protecting the image of both the company and the brewing industry by taking steps to ensure no coworkers or guests break any laws in the process of purchasing, sharing, or consuming alcoholic beverages in association with burghers.
  • Intoxicated guests will be offered non-alcoholic beverages and water and a taxi will be called if required. Intoxicated or disorderly patrons will be refused service and asked to leave.
  • Should guests or employees consume more than a reasonable amount of alcohol, and either are or appear to be incapable of functioning, either legally or appropriately, Burghers accepts their duty-to-act to keep those impaired members from breaking any laws and from harming themselves or others.
  • Intoxication is not an excuse for anyone — including our employees, guests, customers, or vendors; to harass, discriminate against, or assault anyone else.
  • We ask that everyone acts responsibly. When applicable, please use ride share, public transit, or a designated driver. Do not drink & drive.

SEXUAL AND OTHER UNLAWFUL HARASSMENT

This Company is committed to providing a work environment free of harassment in any form, including inappropriate and disrespectful behavior, intimidation, and other unwelcome conduct directed at an individual.  It should be noted that applicable federal and state law defines harassment as unwelcome behavior based on someone's inclusion in a protected class. Sometimes language or actions that were not expected to be offensive or unwelcome actually are, so employees should err on the side of being more sensitive to the feelings of their co-workers rather than less.

The following are examples of harassment; behaviors not in this list may also be considered harassment:

  • Unwanted sexual advances.
  • Offering employment benefits in exchange for sexual favors.
  • Retaliation or threats of retaliation for refusing advances or requests for favors.
  • Leering, making sexual gestures or jokes, or commenting on an employee's body.
  • Displaying sexually suggestive content.
  • Displaying or sharing derogatory posters, photographs, or drawings.
  • Making derogatory epithets, or slurs.
  • Teasing about an employee's religious or cultural practices.
  • Teasing about an employee's sex, sexual orientation, or gender identity.
  • Physical conduct such as touching, assault, or impeding or blocking movements.

Sexual harassment on the job is unlawful whether it involves coworker harassment, harassment by a manager, or harassment by persons doing business with or for the company, such as clients, customers, or vendors.

RETALIATION

Any form of retaliation against someone who has expressed concern about any form of harassment, refused to partake in harassing behavior, made a harassment complaint, or cooperated in a harassment investigation, is strictly prohibited. A complaint made in good faith will under no circumstances be grounds for disciplinary action. Individuals who make complaints that they know to be false may be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including termination.

ENFORCEMENT

All managers and supervisors are responsible for:

  • Implementing the Company's harassment policy.
  • Ensuring that all employees they supervise have knowledge of and understand the Company policy.
  • Reporting any complaints of misconduct to any department head such as the Brewmaster, ownership, Operations Manager, Comptroller or any manager, so they may be investigated and resolved internally.
  • Taking and/or assisting in prompt and appropriate corrective action when necessary to ensure compliance with the policy.
  • Conducting themselves in a manner consistent with the policy.

ADDRESSING ISSUES INFORMALLY

Employees who witness offensive behavior in the workplace - whether directed at them or another employee are encouraged, though not required, to immediately address it with the employee whose behavior they found offensive. An employee who is informed that their behavior is or was offensive should stop immediately and refrain from that behavior in the future, regardless of whether they agree that the behavior could have been offensive. Employees who do not feel comfortable addressing offensive behavior in the moment are encouraged to report it to their supervisor or any member of the leadership team.

HARASSMENT COMPLAINT PROCEDURE

Employees are encouraged to use the complaint procedure detailed below to report behavior that they feel is harassing, whether or not that behavior is directed at them. The complaint procedure provides for immediate, thorough, and objective investigation of claims of harassment. Appropriate disciplinary action will be taken against those who are determined to have engaged in harassing behavior.

ABUSIVE CONDUCT

Abusive conduct means malicious conduct in the workplace that a reasonable person would find hostile or offensive and unrelated to an employer’s legitimate business interests. Abusive conduct may include repeated infliction of verbal abuse, such as the use of derogatory remarks, insults, and epithets, verbal, or physical conduct that a reasonable person would find threatening, intimidating, humiliating, and the sabotage or undermining of a person’s work performance. A single act will generally still constitute as abusive conduct, especially if it is severe.

The Company considers abusive conduct in the workplace unacceptable and will not tolerate it under any circumstances. Employees should report abusive conduct to a manager. Managers are responsible for ensuring that employees are not subjected to abusive conduct. All reports will be treated seriously and investigated when appropriate. Employees who are found to have engaged in abusive conduct will be subject to discipline, up to and potentially including termination. Retaliation against an employee who reports abusive conduct or verifies that it took place is strictly prohibited.

EMPLOYEE DATING

The Company believes that a workplace where employees maintain boundaries between personal and business interactions is essential for maintaining a safe and welcoming environment for everybody. While we don’t object to employee relationships, our workplace is still a professional setting. We expect our employees to treat each other with respect and avoid hindering other people’s work. If you want to express your romantic interest in a colleague, always respect their time, choices, and boundaries, and avoid any action that may embarrass or expose them.  If a colleague is persistent in flirting with you, and it becomes annoying, harmful, disrespectful, unwanted, or disturbs your work, ask them to stop and inform your manager. Please report them if they make unwanted sexual advances. Sexual harassment is prohibited, including seemingly harmless actions. For example, an employee who keeps flirting when their colleague doesn’t respond favorably is breaking our sexual harassment policy. In this case, they will face disciplinary action.

We don’t want to place undue restrictions on employees dating each other, as everyone should be free to choose their partners. However, we want to make sure that relationships won’t cause harm, awkwardness, or compromise the safety for our team. In the context of this policy, “employee dating” includes consensual romantic relationships and sexual relations. We explicitly prohibit non-consensual relationships and interactions. Although this policy does not prevent the development of friendships or romantic relationships between coworkers, it does establish clear expectations as to how relationships will be treated during working hours and within the working environment. Individuals in supervisory relationships or other influential roles are subject to more stringent requirements under this policy due to their status as managers, their access to sensitive information, and their ability to influence others. If a relationship ends, employees must maintain professionalism and ensure that they won't disrupt the safety, wellbeing, and welcoming environment for our employees and workplace. Badmouthing a former partner, sabotaging their work, or revealing any intimate details will not be tolerated. All these break our code of conduct about respect in the workplace and may result in disciplinary action. If your former partner behaves this way, report them and we will investigate right away.

The following are guidelines and are not meant to be all-inclusive:

  • During work time and in work areas, employees are expected to keep personal exchanges limited so that others are not distracted or offended and so that employee well-being & productivity is maintained.
  • During non-work time, such as lunches and breaks, employees are not prohibited from having appropriate personal conversations in non-work areas if their conversations and behaviors could in no way be perceived as offensive or uncomfortable to a reasonable person.
  • Employees are strictly prohibited from engaging in physical contact beyond that which they would share with any other co-worker while on company premises, whether during working hours or not.
  • Due to the high potential for favoritism or allegations of quid pro quo relations, romantic relationships between supervisors and subordinates are generally prohibited.
  • Supervisors, managers, executives, or anyone else in sensitive or influential positions must disclose the existence of any relationship with another coworker that has progressed beyond a friendship. Disclosure may be made to any member of the leadership team. This disclosure will enable the organization to determine whether any conflict of interest exists because of the relative positions of the individuals involved and help foster a safe, welcoming, and respectful environment for all.
  • Where problems or potential risks are identified, the Company will work with the parties involved to consider options for resolving the conflict. The initial solution will be to make sure that the parties involved no longer work together on matters where one is able to influence the other or act for the other. Matters such as hiring, firing, promotions, performance management, compensation decisions, financial transactions, etc. are examples of situations that may require reallocation of duties to avoid any actual or perceived reward or disadvantage.
  • In some cases, more significant measures may be necessary such as transfer to other positions or departments. The individual with the more senior position will be considered for transfer first to avoid any perception of retaliation against the less senior person.
  • This policy applies to all our employees regardless of gender, sexual orientation, or other protected characteristics.

Any employee who feels they have been disadvantaged because of this policy, or who believes this policy is not being adhered to, should contact manager ASAP.

COMPLAINT PROCEDURE

The Company has established a procedure for a fair review of complaints related to any workplace controversy, conflict, or harassment. Employees who believe they have been subjected to any kind of discrimination that conflicts with the organization’s diversity, equity, inclusion, and anti-racism policy and initiatives can and should report incidents to their manager. If they are not comfortable doing so, we encourage employees to contact anyone of the leadership team, via in-person, email, or phone. The complaint should be submitted in writing to a supervisor or manager within three working days of the incident or as soon as possible. Generally, a meeting will be held within three business days of the employee's request, depending upon scheduling availability. Attempts will be made to resolve the issue during the meeting, but regardless of whether there is an immediate resolution, the supervisor or manager will give the employee a written summary of the meeting within three business days. Resolution may take longer if further investigation of the complaint is required.

CORRECTIVE ACTION FOR EMPLOYEES

A high level of job performance and professionalism is expected from each employee. If an employee’s job performance does not meet the standards established for the position, they violate company policies or procedures, or their behavior is otherwise unacceptable, corrective action may ensue. Corrective action may include, but is not limited to coaching, oral or written warnings, performance improvement plans, paid or unpaid suspension, demotion, and termination. The type and order of actions taken will be at management's sole discretion and the Company is not required to take any disciplinary action before making an adverse employment decision, including termination.