Emergencies
If you are subjected to aggressive or threatening behavior (related to issues of personal safety), call +41 21 693 30 00 (or 115 from an EPFL land line). Staff from the EPFL Security and Safety department will come to your aid.
b
The responsibility of line managers
Line managers and faculty members have a legal obligation to protect the physical and mental well-being of employees (staff, PhD students) and students, to ensure that they can operate in an environment that is free of discrimination and harassment. Your attitude and your acts will be critical in clearly indicating that harassment and inappropriate behaviors have no place at EPFL.
Tips & Advice
Make your voice heard whenever you encounter inappropriate behavior. Take the signs seriously, try to put a stop to the inappropriate behavior and seek the support of the appropriate bodies if necessary (see below). Do not conduct your own investigation in the event of a harassment case.
Be aware that the behavior of a line manager provides an example for employees to follow. You send clear signals through:
- The way you behave in relation to those who do not share your opinions
- The way you intervene in case of a problematic situation
- The way you give constructive criticism and make employees feel part of a team
Your actions demonstrate which behaviors are acceptable within our institution and which are undesirable. Your example helps shape our School’s standards and values.
Please note: Not taking any action is not an option. If you see inappropriate behavior or are informed of it and do nothing, you are sending the message that you don’t care and that you believe everything is fine. This can lead to an aggravation of the situation. The victim will not feel that they are being taken seriously and the perpetrator of the unwanted behavior will have no reason to change their behavior. Your non-intervention will encourage the perpetrator to continue.
Support
You can contact the following bodies to request support, advice and assistance.
- Your line manager (Dean, Director of College / Institute / Section / Domain, etc.)
- Your HR manager
- Student Affairs: [email protected]
- Doctoral School
- Equal Opportunity Office: [email protected]
- Person of Trust: [email protected]
- Health at Work: [email protected]
- Trust and Support Network: [email protected]
Learn how to identify inappropriate behaviors and how to react to situations that cannot be tolerated. This e-learning module is part of the “EPFL Essentials”, which all community members should follow.