Workplace Harassment

1
Workplace Harassment

• What Employees Need to Know

2
Session Objectives

• You will be able to
• Understand why harassment is a problem
• Identify the requirements of laws and policies
• Recognize signs of harassment
• Follow proper reporting procedures and cooperate
  with investigations
• Understand how you can help maintain a fair and
  professional workplace

3
What You Need to Know

• What harassment is and how it hurts us all
• Laws and workplace policy prohibiting harassment
• Procedures for reporting harassment
• Harassment investigations
• How complaints are resolved
• What you can do to prevent harassment

4
What Is Harassment?

• Harassment is unwelcome behavior directed at a
  member of a protected group
• Harassment usually involves a pattern of behavior
• Harassment is a form of illegal discrimination

5
What Is Harassment? (cont.)

• Harassment is often blatant
• Harassment can also be subtle
• Behavior short of illegal discrimination

6
What Harassment Is NOT

• Occasional teasing
• Offhand comments
• Isolated incidents that are not extremely serious

7
When Is It Harassment?

• One extremely serious incident
• Intimidating, hostile, offensive environment

8
When Is It Harassment? (cont.)

• Unreasonable interference with work performance
• Negative effect on an individuals employment
  opportunities

9
Why Harassment Is a Problem

• Victims may lose their sense of security,
  dignity, and confidence
• All employees may be demoralized
• People may start to feel unsafe on the job
• Confidence in the organization may be threatened
• Accused employees may suffer loss of reputation
  and credibilityor even their jobs

10
What the Law Says About Workplace Harassment

• Title VII
• State law
• Requirements

11
Our Harassment Policy

• Firmly prohibits workplace harassment
• Encourages victims to come forward
• Promises prompt response to employee complaints
• Ensures fair and professional treatment of all
  employees
• Promotes a respectful work environment

12
Harassment in the Workplace

• Do you understand the information in the previous
  slides?

13
Verbal Harassment

• Threats
• Intimidation
• Offensive language, slurs, or derogatory comments
• Graffiti
• Jokes
• Circulating insulting stories or rumors about a
  person

14
Nonverbal Harassment

• Staring
• Standing over someone in an intimidating manner
• Displaying or circulating offensive pictures,
  cartoons, or objects
• Singling out members of protected groups for
  unfavorable treatment

15
Harassment Complaints

• Report all incidents right away
• No complaints will be ignored
• You are allowed to bypass the normal chain of
  command
• You will be protected from further harassment

16
Harassment Investigations

• Is an investigation necessary?
• How long will it take?
• What intermediate measures may be necessary?
• Has harassment occurred?

17
Questions Asked During Investigations
Who

• Questions we may ask the person making the
  complaint

Where
When
How
18
Questions Asked During Investigations (cont.)

• Questions we may ask the alleged harasser
• Questions we may ask witnesses

19
Has Harassment Occurred?

• Making a determination
• When no determination is possible
• Filing a report
• Informing those involved
• Dealing with cases involving behavior short of
  illegal harassment

20
Corrective Action

• We must make sure
• The victim is not adversely affected
• The harassment stops immediately and does not
  occur again

21
Corrective Action (cont.)

• We must also
• Correct the effects of the harassment
• Follow up to make sure the problem is solved

22
Identifying Harassment And Correcting Its Effects

• Do you understand the information presented in
  the previous slides?

23
How You Can Help Prevent Workplace Harassment

• Read and understand harassment policies and
  procedures
• Monitor your own behavior
• Speak up in support of a respectful workplace
• Report incidents immediately
• Cooperate with investigations

24
Key Points to Remember

• Illegal harassment is unwelcome behavior directed
  at a person because of race, color, religion,
  national origin, or sex
• No rude, insensitive, or abusive behavior will
  be tolerated in our organization
• You play an important role in helping to identify
  and prevent workplace harassment