Prevent Sexual Harassment in the Workplace
Sexual harassment means sexually molesting someone in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 when one employee is molesting another employee continually by an unwanted sexual approach that can be verbal or physical.
An updated report of the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) describe that sexual harassment occurs,
“when submission to or rejection of this conduct explicitly or implicitly affects an individual’s employment, unreasonably interferes with an individual’s work performance or creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive work environment.”
Sexual molesting or harassment in a workplace can happen in different ways or situations. Here are some cases.
-
Unwanted jokes, and offensive words or gestures on clothing, and adverse comment with sexual hints are forbidden.
-
Any unwanted touching like scratching or patting a co-worker back, grabbing a co-workers waist, kissing an employee, or blocking a someone from moving.
-
Asking for a fellow employee for dates repeatedly although the request was turned down, any unwanted flirting.
-
Transmitting or posting photos or emails with sexual meaning.
-
Watching pornography online even in a privet office.
-
Displaying any suggestive objects in the workplace.
-
Playing sexually music that mentions sexually motives.
Once a complaint on sexual molesting in the workplace was made to any of the employee or supervisors, an investigation of this charge must start immediately. The manager should report to the Human Resources staff
Your employee has to be prepared and knows that it is an obligation to report to the Human Resources office about any sexual harassment case on the workplace grounds. No reporting will make the problem much bigger by interrupting your HR office to address sexual harassment at work effectively address sexual harassment at work
We see now that the cultural environment has changed women are much easily complaining about past sexual harassment. “Me Too” movement created a wave of stories up to rape has been leveled at prominent people. Frequently, the abuser is someone in a dominant position that gives him the power to affect negatively the lives of those who refuse the offensive action or those who may take the case to the authorities.
The sexual abuse leaves the victims in a complicated situation. By disclosing the harassment, they will be afraid of losing their job and have a problem to find a new one. They will have to hear critics on their personality and behavior.
Not only the extreme cases are essential, but all level of sexual molesting is also forbidden, and the workplace is no different. Even the lighter and small act of sexual abuse can be permitted in your workplace.
Adopt These Policies to Prevent and React to Sexual Harassment
Your policy handbook requires a:
-
Sexual molesting Policy,
-
All kind of Harassment Policy,
-
Clear manual or list of “What to do” about how sexual harassment investigations are to be managed in your company, and
-
A policy of “No Dating” between an employee in a higher position role from dating a lower position employee and what steps required to deal with a relationship of this nature. Sexual relations of this kind can be considered as an illegal and an abuse of power.
Workplaces non-fraternization policies have to take in consideration a workplace is a natural place where people meet and can fall in love. This relationship must follow common sense guidelines.
Dating your reporting staff may consider a violation, and it is illegal in some countries, at the list it is never appropriate and undoubtedly not smart.
Training your workforce on how to prevent sexual harassment and report it with no hesitation.
Role of Managers in Prevention and Investigation of Sexual Harassment
Your managerial staff can never tolerate harassment of any type. Managers and supervisors are your front line watchers about the employee’s performance and the workplace culture that will not be letting go to bad places like harassment to occur.
As an employer, it is crucial to demonstrate that you took the right steps and measures following a molesting sexual complaint.
You must demonstrate that you took immediate and severe action against the perpetrator. As the superior persona, you must make all your staff that deals with the complaint to feel confident about their activities related to this case.
Sexual harassment is a delicate matter. You and your HR staff must investigate carefully before having the final decision. It happened in the past that people have been wrongly accused convicted of sexual abuse in the workplace. Accusing is a serious matter you must carefully investigate the complaint. It can be false accusations as well as it may be a real one. Many time it is only one side word against the other side word. Do not rush into conclusion before a thorough investigation.
Harassment in the workplace will create a hostile atmosphere. The way you address the harassment in general and the sexual molesting, in particular, will influence your work environment.
The definition of what constitutes a hostile environment in a workplace was expanded by the courts to include co-workers that were caught up in a sexual harassment situation.
Worried about sexual abuse and other forms of harassment in your organization, keep these facts in mind.
-
Sexual harassment can be between man and woman or the same sex members of the workforce.
-
The harasser can come from all the positions of the employment from the janitor to the CEO or any individual that is connected to the employee’s work environment. Anything that occurs under the roof of your workplace is under your responsibility.
-
The sexual harassment victims are the main victim that suffered the abuse on is own buddy and the rest of the workforce that suffered from observing and learning about the sexual harassment, you can expect charges from the primary victim and part of your workforce. One of the aspects is the complaint of the other staff that the supervisor preferred his love on them.
-
Your organization policy should advise the potential victims to tell clearly to the perpetrator to stop acting with advances or other unwanted behavior.
-
Sexual harassment can be defined when the complainant cannot show that thing reached unwanted contacts, but the was negative impact by pressure on his or her employment, transfer to adverse positions, discharges, wages decreases, and more damaging action.
-
A complaint from one of the employees must be treated according to the company system and procedure. Handbook instruction must be followed.
-
It is the employer’s responsibility to investigate each complaint and investigate or call the police to take care of the investigation.
-
Once there is an investigation of the harassment complaint, the complainant can not suffer any difference in the conditions of his or her job.
Ending the investigation, disciplinary action toward the culprit action is necessary. If the results of the investigation are showing the complainant was lied the disciplinary action will be again him or her.
Remember that the workplace culture has a lot to do with the behavior of your workforce. Training, mentoring and knowing that severe disciplinary action will be taken against those who break the rules.
paystumbmakr.com team thanks you for a visit and reading this blog Paystub
Disclaimer: John Wolf and paystubmakr.com are making a total effort to offer accurate, good, ethical HR management, employer, and workplace advice. We do not use the words of an attorney and the content on the site is not given as legal advice. The website has readers from all US states which all have different laws on these topics. The reader should look for legal advice before taking any action. The information presented on this website is offered as a general guide only and never as legal advice.