How to Respond and Combat Sexual Harassment

Harassment of an employee impedes employment opportunities, morale, job and performance. Indeed, harassment, particularly sexual harassment, is
a pervasive and expensive workplace problem. For instance, in 1995, a jury
awarded a secretary $7.1 million after it found her boss had sexually
harassed her and their employer did nothing to prevent or remedy it. The following is intended to help employees avoid the high costs of harassment and provide a proactive approach to eliminate harassment in your organization.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Attorney

1. Ensure that your employer organization has a harassment policy and procedure which prohibits harassment in the workplace. Companies can obtain sample policies from the Department of Fair Employment and Housing.

2. Suggest that your employer conduct training workshops on preventing harassment in the workplace. A variety of law firms and human resource consultants offer such training.

3. Document each and every offensive remark, gesture and/or act in the event that you are experiencing harassment within your workplace.

4. Include the date, time, location and witnesses to any form of harassment.

5. Tell your harasser that his or her conduct is offensive to you and impairs your work environment. Ask your harasser to stop the offensive conduct. Otherwise, discuss the problem with the designated company official if you do not feel comfortable confronting the harasser.

6. Communicate your problem to the designated company offiicial, responsible for receiving complaints. This person should be identified in the company's harassment policy and complaint procedure. Or, communicate your problem to the human resource professional or the harasser's manager in the event that your company does not have a designated official.

7. Request that the company initiate an investigation regarding your complaint and inquire about the potential discipline in the event that the company's investigation substantiates your complaint.

8. Ask the company keep the investigation as confidential as possible. Note that the company cannot guarantee confidentiality but has a duty to keep an investigation as confidential as possible.

9. File a complaint with the Department of Fair Employment and Housing or the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission if the harassing conduct continues and/or the company fails to take any remedial action to prevent the offensive conduct.

10. Retain an attorney if all preventative steps have failed. The local bar association in your county will have a referral service that can direct you to specialized labor and employment attorneys that can help you.

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on 1/14/2009 I agree with Anonymous 100% about making sure that you are not cat-calling with the clothes you wear and the way you present yourself. It seems so strange that so many women say they don't want sexual attention but present themselves in apparel that does not match their words - very important part of the problem!! Let's face it, no matter how much we as Americans want to pretend that women are not responsible for men's reactions in any way, men are created by God to respond to a woman's body in a sexual way when it is being presented as available. How about we start working with the flow of nature instead of against it. Just keep your sexually suggestive garments and shoes (as Anonymous mentioned) at your husbands bedside and then he and only he can get sexual with you all he wants! In saying that I must add that men also have to take responsibility for their own actions and be appropria

on 11/22/2005 Oftentimes, sexual harassment is a two sided stick. Yes, the offender holds most of the burden, but as a victim you yourself have made yourself vulnerable. To prevent sexual attacks be sure to wear clothes that are meant for the office place -- no cleavage or six inch stilettos here girls! Also, make sure that skirts are the correct size and hit below the knee. Tank tops are permissible if a cardigan is worn over them, and make sure they are not too low cut, to prevent cat-calling. Wearing clean, conservative clothes will establish you as a professional. To show your wild side, feel free to pick up nice pieces of clothing in bright, fun colors and prints. Just make sure that they match or else you'll get fashion-harassment!

on 11/22/2005 In a locked desk keep a personal safety kit, including mace.