Harassment in the Workplace Policy

Your business must have a harassment policy.

Workplace harassment occurs when an employee receives unwanted physical contact or verbal comments, according to the Federal Communications Commission. Businesses should institute a harassment policy to stop harassment from occurring and prevent possible litigation.

History

In 1998, the Supreme ruled in "Faragher v. City of Boca Raton" and "Burlington Industries, Inc. v. Ellerth" that employers must institute a workplace harassment policy that prevents, identifies and resolves harassment issues, according to Business Management Daily.

Features

A standard workplace harassment policy contains wording that declares the company does not tolerate harassment and complies with federal anti-discrimination legislation. It might also include a definition of harassment. In addition, a harassment policy should clearly state that the employee needs to report harassment to a supervisor or manager and the consequences of harassing an employee.

Tip

Workplace harassment policies are great to have, but you must also follow through on harassment claims. Ignoring employee complaints of harassment almost always leads to a lawsuit and possible investigation by the government, according to Business Management Daily.

References

• Federal Communications Commission: Understanding Workplace Harassment
• Business Management Daily: Workplace harassment: Management's 24 most common mistakes
• FindLaw: Sample Anti-Discrimination and Harassment Policies
• Business Management Daily: How not to manage a hostile work environment