Employers Should Be Prepared To Prevent Sexual Harassment

According to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), employers have a duty to investigate sexual harassment complaints and must take actions to prevent the recurrence of such offensive conduct in their workplace. In addition to these actions, an employer should have a sexual harassment policy in place outlining the company’s intolerance for sexual harassment.

Handbooks Should Outline Sexual Harassment Policies Clearly

Sexual harassment policies should contain the following items:

• Make clear what behaviors, both verbal and physical, constitute sexual harassment. Stress that the company has a strict no-tolerance policy.
• Encourage employees to bring forth claims of harassment so that the company can investigate. Then, take appropriate action and take necessary steps to prevent future harassment.
• Guidelines for how to report sexual harassment.
• A complaint procedure and a response to the complaints procedure for management personnel.

Tips for Preventing Sexual Harassment in the Workplace

Here are some other things to consider in preventing sexual harassment in the workplace:

• Provide employees with at least two separate resources for reporting sexual harassment complaints. This protects the employer in case the alleged harasser is the employee’s direct supervisor.
• Designate a female and male staff member from HR to receive sexual harassment claims, preferably individuals with experience in dealing with discrimination and harassment.
• Outline in your policy that employees found guilty of sexual harassment will be subject to disciplinary action, including termination. The disciplinary action should eliminate the harassment and should ensure that the victim feels unthreatened once again. In addition, preventive action should be taken to ensure that a recurrence of the harassment does not occur.
• Discipline for sexual harassment should be as severe as the actions that took place. Punishments should also be consistent for similar actions by different harassers.
• Emphasize that victims will receive no backlash or repercussions if they report sexual harassment. Do not punish the victim for the harassment by removing him or her from their job, department or role within the company.
• Provide an anonymous tip line to employees and encourage the use of the tip line.
• Provide training to employees and make it part of the culture of the workplace. Prevention is key.

Provide Sexual Harassment Training to Employees

Use a training tool like HRCompli E-Learn. HRCompli E-Learn is an online Learning Management System (LMS) from MyHRConcierge that facilitates Human Resources and Safety training for employees and managers through professionally-produced videos with interactive quizzes for a quality learning experience.

Improve your employees’ understanding of company policies and proper conduct at work with HRCompli E-Learn.

Human Resources and Safety training programs have become ubiquitous in all industries to assure business owners that they are compliant with state and federal laws and prevent legal risks. However, many states are beginning to require mandatory workforce management training with specific requirements to satisfy state laws.

HRCompli E-Learn Offers These Benefits:

• Over 160 courses, including Sexual Harassment Prevention training that satisfies the training requirements of California State Laws AB 1825 and AB 20531 (CT, ME and NY courses also included).
• Specific courses are designed for supervisors and employees, and selections include Successful Communication Tactics, Sexual Harassment Prevention, HIPPA, Cybersecurity, Workplace Safety, OSHA Compliance, Performance Reviews and many more.
• Select courses available in Spanish.
• Protects your business from risks and liabilities.
• Helps your employees excel at their jobs.

An added benefit of the HRCompli E-Learn LMS is the improved quality of job satisfaction for employees and enhanced workplace culture. Policy Training and Workforce Management Training not only ensure that supervisors are acting in accordance with the law and the best interests of their company, but also improve employees’ understanding of company policies and proper conduct at work.

Schedule a Free Consultation

Interested in hearing more about how HRCompli E-Learn or MyTeam Tipline can help improve your business? Contact MyHRConcierge to schedule a free consultation.

Overall, if employers take the necessary actions to prevent sexual harassment in their workplace, they should not be found liable for the behavior.