Reporting of Policy Violations We encourage anyone who has been the subject of sexual misconduct or of any other action that violates our policies or Code of Conduct to report the incident to our school management (henceforth referred to as the “reviewing body”).

The report should contain the following information:

• Your full name;
• Your email and phone number;
• The name of the person the grievance is against;
• A description of the policy violation;
• The date and location of the policy violation;
• Names and contact information of any witnesses with first-hand knowledge of the situation; and
• Any other credible evidence that is available to support the grievance.

In the interest of fairness, all reports must be made by the person who has personally experienced the misconduct. We will not investigate a matter based upon a third-party report of misconduct. All reports must be made in good faith based on information the person reporting the incident reasonably believes to be accurate.

We may request additional information from the person reporting the incident throughout the course of review of the report. We will take appropriate action to ensure compliance with our policies. The reviewing body will impose any sanctions that it feels are fair, just, and reasonable under all circumstances.

We will not allow anyone to retaliate against any person for making a report in good faith or providing information in connection with an investigation into an alleged violation. Any information provided during a grievance review will be treated on a confidential basis. Similarly, any actions taken in response to the report will also be confidential.

You can submit your grievance via email at cityogaindy@gmail.com, via comment box in the lobby room, or by mail to 2442 Central Ave. Suite B., Indianapolis, IN, 46205.

Confidentiality

• We respect the integrity and protect the welfare of all persons with whom we are working and have an obligation to safeguard information about them that has been obtained in the course of the instruction process.
• All records kept on a student are stored or disposed of in a manner that assures security and confidentiality.
• We treat all communications from students with professional confidence.
• When supervising apprentices (teachers in training), mentees, or consulting with other yoga teachers, we use only the first names of our students, except in those situations where the identity of the student is necessary to the understanding of the case. It is our responsibility to convey the importance of confidentiality to the apprentice (teachers in training), mentees, or consultant.
• We do not disclose student confidences to anyone, except: as mandated by law; to prevent a clear and immediate danger to someone; in the course of a civil, criminal, or disciplinary action arising from the instruction where the teacher is a defendant; for purpose of supervision of consultation; or by previously obtained written permission. In case involving more than one person (as student), written permission must be obtained from all legally accountable persons who have been present during the instruction before any disclosure can be made.
• We obtain written or verbal consent of students before audio and/or video tape recording or permitting third party observation of their sessions.
• When current or former students are referred to in a publication, while teaching, or in a public presentation, their identity is thoroughly disguised.

Due Process and Procedure

Cityoga is committed to providing a fair, transparent, and objective process for addressing allegations of misconduct. This applies to all individuals in the Cityoga community, including employees, teachers, independent contractors, students, and members. Misconduct may affect a person’s employment, teaching privileges, membership, participation in classes or events, or their reputation, so the review process must be handled with care and impartiality.

Due process does not mean conducting a formal trial, but rather gathering all relevant facts and making a fair and objective decision based on those facts.

The reviewing body may:

• Interview the person reporting the situation, the person accused of misconduct, and any witnesses with direct knowledge.
• Review credible evidence relevant to the incident.
• Assess whether allegations are credible and determine appropriate sanctions if violations are confirmed.

Sanctions

Sanctions We recognize the principle of “the punishment must fit the crime.” We do not sentence someone to life imprisonment for jaywalking. There must be a sense of fairness and moral proportion in judging these situations.

All cases of abuse and misconduct, from inappropriate commentary to physical assault, will be judged objectively and the reviewing body will fashion a sanction that fairly and equitably addresses the situation, giving due consideration to all the facts.

In many cases, it may be hard to uncover all the facts, there may be conflicting facts, there may be conflicts of interest, and there may be circumstances and facts that weigh on both sides of the scales of justice.

However, the reviewing body will use sound and careful judgment in deciding what type of sanctions to impose. There are four options:

1. Do Nothing. The facts do not show that the person committed the policy violation.
2. A Warning. The facts show that the person’s actions were minor and that a warning is a fair sanction. The warning could be coupled with counseling or guidance. Individuals who receive three warnings may be subject to a Time Out or Dismissal/Removal if further policy violations occur.
3. Time Out. The facts show that the person’s actions were serious and warrant temporarily suspending them from the studio or community. This sanction may apply even if the person is generally well-intentioned but made a mistake in judgment. The Time Out period is usually one year, but it may be shorter depending on the circumstances. During this period, individuals may be asked to reflect, participate in counseling, take steps toward rehabilitation, or engage in spiritual or restorative work. After the “Time Out” period expires, the individual may approach the reviewing body to request reinstatement of their teaching activities or to rejoin the community. Re-entry will be at the discretion of the reviewing body, which will consider factors such as sincere apology and contrition, appropriate reparation to affected parties, evidence of rehabilitation, and demonstrated behavioral change. The reviewing body will determine whether the individual has adequately addressed their issues and whether it is appropriate for them to return. This decision is entirely at the discretion of the reviewing body. Individuals who receive two Time Outs will be subject to a Dismissal/Removal.
4. Dismissal/Removal. The facts show that the person’s actions were so serious that they warrant dismissing the person from the studio or community. This may include termination of employment, termination of independent contractor agreements, permanent loss of studio access, or permanent revocation of membership privileges.