7 Steps in Dealing with Workplace Sexual Harassment
Sexual harassment in the
workplace refers
to harassment of a sexual nature, which is based on gender or physical
attractiveness or un-attractiveness of a person, and consists of unwelcome
sexual advances, propositions for sexual favours and any other verbal or physical
conduct of a sexual nature.
1. Talk to the Person Directly
Once the first incident of Sexual
harassment of women at workplace occurs, be very clear in letting the
person know the behaviour is unwelcome and ask them to stop. If the behaviour
continues after that, tell them that you plan to file a report with Human
Resources. Sometimes a person can actually be oblivious to the fact that their behaviour
is offensive and unwanted. Therefore, that initial chance to clean up their act
is a nice gesture that could potentially clear up the matter.
2. Alert Your Manager
or Supervisor
If the behaviour does continue after that initial
conversation, report the incident officially to your immediate supervisor. He
or she will likely ask you to follow up your verbal explanation with a written
report describing the event in as much detail as possible. It is possible that
your immediate manager is the harasser or if he or she refuses to take action,
alert the next person in your reporting line. Whoever you report to should
handle your complaint with discretion and confidentiality. If there is any
evidence related to your grievance, be sure to present that at the time of your
formal complaint.
3. Alert Human
Resource Management
If your employer has a complaint procedure (which it
should), follow the steps set out under the procedure for bringing the
harassment to the appropriate parties within your company. Certainly bring it
to the attention of your HR department as they would be best equipped to inform
you of next steps or any actions to take in the meantime. Note that everything
needs to be in writing. You want documentary proof that you can later refer to.
Your HR department will also take their own notes, but make sure you take yours
too.
4. Submit to Company
Resolution Process
Submit to arbitration or other process that your company
offers to resolve the problem. Take part in the fact finding steps or meeting
initiated or requested by your HR department. Don’t just make a complaint and
then refuse to cooperate with efforts being made to resolve the matter. Provide
all the necessary details requested and provide any evidence that you may have.
5. Approach the EEOC
Some companies have been known to really drop the ball
when it comes to sexual harassment allegations. If your complaint is not
handled to your satisfaction, or the harassment continues, it is well within
your right to contact the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission to file a
case. It is their job to investigate and address issues of discrimination and
harassment in the workplace. Once things escalate to this point, it is probably
in your best interest to hire an attorney. Depending on the facts of your case,
the EEOC may after investigation, decide to dismiss your charge, investigate,
request that you and your employer try to settle or mediate the dispute, or
take other action. The evidence you provide is what the EEOC can work with, so
obviously the better the quality of the evidence you have the better your case.
As previously alluded to, such evidence will include all the notes you’ve been
taking throughout the process.
6. File a Lawsuit
Depending on the severity of the incident, filing a
lawsuit may be the next step. After processing your claim the EEOC may issue
you a right to sue letter, which will then enable you to file a lawsuit. Be
sure to have your ducks in a row after consulting the EEOC. There is a chance
that monetary damages can be awarded if you were let go due to the incident.
For you to get any compensation, however, you need to be sure that you
have credible evidence that is contemporaneous to the instances of
harassment, your reporting it to your manager and all the other steps you’ve taken.
7. Keep Track –
Document Everything!
As alluded to above, the right documentation is critical
to ensuring that you get justice if you have been a victim of sexual
harassment. It is not enough simply to document, it is also very important to
make sure that you store and present your evidence in a way that guarantees
their authenticity. Otherwise, you could be accused of fabricating evidence
after the fact. Dimenzion3 document storage and verification system protects
the integrity of all your documents and other evidence stored on it, thus
giving your documents the credibility and authenticity they need, so that they
can be accepted as evidence, whether it’s by the EEOC or in court.
For
more information about Harassment at work visit on dimenzion3.com
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