Such cases have continued to occur in many workplaces since the redefinition of sexual harassment law in the 1990s. According to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), their offices receive around 16,000 complaints of sexual harassment each year. Aside from the usual cases of “women by men” or “employees by supervisors” sexual harassment.

There have been reports of harassment in a variety of forms, such as:

 

• homosexual harassment
• Harassment of men by women
• Customer Harassment of Employees (Third-Party Harassment)

By definition, sexual harassment is an unwelcome sexual advance or action that creates a threatening, uncomfortable, and hateful work environment. Any other activity that is sexual in nature may be considered a form of sexual harassment if it causes fear or discomfort in the individual concerned.

 

Sexual harassment is prohibited under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act and other related federal and state statutes. However, due to the failure of many institutions to implement the provisions of these laws and the fear of some victims pursuing their cases, sexual harassment does not seem to be stopping.

 

When these immoral acts occur, the first thing to do is report the incident to a supervisor who the victim believes will be biased in handling their complaint. If the manager is not fulfilling his or her duty, it is time to seek the advice of sexual harassment lawyers in order to bring a proper prosecution in court.

 

Precautions

 

The majority of these cases happen because employers do not understand their responsibility for maintaining a harassment-free environment for their workers. Not only do these incidents result in reduced morale and employee productivity, but they can also lead to the filing of lawsuits. Hence, they are highly recommended to follow these tips to reduce the risk of occurrence.

 

Implement a Comprehensive Company Policy Against Sexual Harassment – ​​Employers should include specific provisions in their employee handbook that address the definition of sexual harassment and disciplinary action for offenders and even anti-retaliation practices.

Conduct sexual harassment awareness seminars – all employees should be well informed about their rights against sexual harassment and how to exercise these rights.

Educate Company Managers and Supervisors on How to Handle Sexual Harassment Complaints – In the state of California, companies with 50 or more employees are required to provide their supervisors with at least two hours of sexual harassment training.

Oversee worker activities – It is imperative for employers to have close monitoring of what is happening in the workplace. They should also maintain open communication with their workers.

Handle complaints appropriately – cases of sexual harassment should be treated as a serious criminal offense and prompt investigation. When such an offense is established against an accused, it is fair to promptly punish him with the appropriate penalty, such as termination of employment.

Learn more about ways to prevent sexual harassment in the workplace by seeking advice from experienced and compassionate sexual harassment attorneys.