Federal civil rights laws prohibit the College and its employees from retaliating against any individual, including a student, because he or she has engaged in activities protected under these laws.

A person who reports an incident -- or indicates an intent to report an incident -- of discrimination or harassment is protected from retaliation by both Renton Technical College's policy and the law. The law states:

No recipient or other person shall intimidate, threaten, coerce, or discriminate against any individual for the purpose of interfering with any right or privilege secured by section 601 of the Act or this part, or because he has made a complaint, testified, assisted, or participated in any manner in an investigation, proceeding or hearing under this part.

Some common types of retaliation might include:

further or intensified harassment,
threats of negative consequences due to the complaint, or
name-calling, taunting, teasing.

The second part of this legal statement also protects anyone who helps a student or colleague who was a victim of harassment.