Actions You Can Take Against Sexual Harassment in the Workplace
Sexual
harassment cases are one of the most difficult things that employees may deal
with at their place of work. It is common for the victims of Sexual
harassment in the workplace to feel powerless and unable to do
anything to change their situation for the better. The witnesses of sexual
harassment may feel caught between a rock and a hard place, feeling empathetic
towards the victim and yet afraid that if they speak up, they will be putting themselves
or their jobs at risk. It is a tough situation for anyone, and yet there are
steps you can take to empower yourself and others to take a stand and deal with
sexual harassment in a healthy, safe and productive manner. The laws, rules and
regulations that surround sexual discrimination and Harassment
at work are
put in place to protect employees from the devastating effects of sexual
harassment at many levels. Here are some of the actions you can take against
sexual harassment, whether you are the victim or simply an onlooker.
What to Do in the Face of Sexual Harassment
Sexual
harassment comes in many different forms. It can be subtle or obvious, ongoing
or a one-time occurrence, severe or moderate. All varieties of physical and
verbal sexual harassment should be taken seriously, as they can often progress
from not-so-serious to very severe in a short amount of time. The nature of the
sexual harassment case you are dealing with will determine how you go about
addressing it. Here are some of the steps you can take, in order from most
casual to most formal.
•
Speak out against the harasser: This is often the simplest and most direct way to deal
with sexual harassment. By getting to the root cause of it and addressing the
provoker, you will make your message loud and clear that the behaviour in
question is not acceptable. While in some cases this verbal warning is enough
to make the harasser stop, many cases escalate from this point on.
• Report the harassment to the appropriate people: Taking it to the next level, you may choose to take the harassment incident(s) to a supervisor, human resources department or internal social case worker. Make sure to follow exactly whatever company policies or procedures are in place so that your case will be treated with the appropriate timeliness and seriousness. Your company should be able to handle the sexual harassment charge from then on, either by dismissing or counselling the harasser, separating the harasser and the victim, or another method.
• File a charge with your state human or civil rights establishment: This next step in dealing with sexual harassment is a major one. You will contact the governing agency in your state which deals with issues of workplace discrimination and harassment, which is usually the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. This enforcement entity will typically strive to resolve the claim with your employer. If this fails, they may advise that you bring a lawsuit against the company.
• Take legal action: Lastly, the most dramatic step you can take in dealing with sexual harassment in the workplace is filing a lawsuit against your employer. While this type of litigation may seem drastic, it is sometimes the only procedure that gets results, as long as the three above steps failed to resolve the problem. Victims of sexual harassment often file lawsuits against an employer for physical or emotional suffering, and they may be able to get their jobs back, receive lost wages and acquire damage costs for the events that occurred.
• Report the harassment to the appropriate people: Taking it to the next level, you may choose to take the harassment incident(s) to a supervisor, human resources department or internal social case worker. Make sure to follow exactly whatever company policies or procedures are in place so that your case will be treated with the appropriate timeliness and seriousness. Your company should be able to handle the sexual harassment charge from then on, either by dismissing or counselling the harasser, separating the harasser and the victim, or another method.
• File a charge with your state human or civil rights establishment: This next step in dealing with sexual harassment is a major one. You will contact the governing agency in your state which deals with issues of workplace discrimination and harassment, which is usually the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. This enforcement entity will typically strive to resolve the claim with your employer. If this fails, they may advise that you bring a lawsuit against the company.
• Take legal action: Lastly, the most dramatic step you can take in dealing with sexual harassment in the workplace is filing a lawsuit against your employer. While this type of litigation may seem drastic, it is sometimes the only procedure that gets results, as long as the three above steps failed to resolve the problem. Victims of sexual harassment often file lawsuits against an employer for physical or emotional suffering, and they may be able to get their jobs back, receive lost wages and acquire damage costs for the events that occurred.
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