NCJ Number
164428
Date Published
1995
Length
4 pages
Annotation
Whether businesses have existing anti-harassment policies or are just designing them, they should clearly define sexual harassment and outline procedures to follow if it occurs.
Abstract
Senior management in a business must make clear to workers that harassment of employees in any form will not be tolerated. This perspective must be implemented through an explicit written policy on sexual harassment that is widely disseminated in the workplace. The wisest strategy is to distribute the written policy companywide, repeatedly; copies should be included in new employee orientation packets. The policy should include clear definitions of sexual harassment, including what is not sexual harassment. Many companies are offering employee training sessions on sexual harassment. Such training programs should include all employees, not just managers. The perspective of such training should be gender neutral. Further, companies must have in place a complaint procedure that is responsive, fair, and effective. Such a system should involve an immediate investigation in which credible coworkers are interviewed, and the accused is provided an opportunity to respond to the charges. If the investigation reveals sexual harassment, a swift and clear disciplinary action should be taken, ranging from therapy, to suspension, to firing. This paper also briefly reviews the evolution of legislative and court standards that define sexual harassment. The trend is toward making sexual harassment clearer and the sanctions commensurate with the damage done to the victim.