Get together with human resources, union leaders, and write a firm policy banning sexual harassment. Make it clear that management holds itself responsible for preventing sexual harassment within the company. Define sexual harassment broadly. Prohibit illegal sexual discrimination; unwelcome advances; requests for sexual favors; and any verbal, visual, or physical conduct of a sexual nature in the workplace. Ban the requirement of submission to any sexual conduct as a term or condition of employment, or used as a basis for any employment decisions. Ban all behavior that has the purpose or effect of interfering with an individual’s work performance, or creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive work environment. Include examples of sexual harassment, but state that the list of examples is not intended to be all-inclusive. Review Title VII and state law to make sure that you are including all applicable behaviors.
Your employees should have several options of individuals to report sexual harassment to, as this will help prevent them from, for example, having to report to their harasser or a close friend of their harasser.
Give frequent trainings. Train supervisors and all levels of management to spot, prevent, and punish sexual harassment and sex discrimination. Train employees in the correct steps to report sexual harassment. Follow state requirements, which are variable.
Explain that any workplace pressure that employees comply with gender norms is sex harassment under Title VII[2] X Trustworthy Source US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission U. S. government agency that enforces civil rights in the workplace Go to source Therefore, it is forbidden to tell a woman she does not act feminine enough, a man that he does not act masculine enough, or a transgender individual that his or her appearance or chosen pronoun is unacceptable. Explain that as an employer, you are even sometimes liable if a vendor or client sexually harasses your employees. Tell them that when in doubt, they should talk to HR or to you.
If you witness an incident of sexual harassment or find yourself within an offensive environment, take steps to resolve the harassment or co-file with the victim.
You should have a no-tolerance policy on repeat offenders, or for cases of egregious harassment or assault. Make it clear that no level of management is exempt from complying with the policy.
Hostile work environment harassment does not explicitly or implicitly effect your job security, but that nonetheless affects your work performance and creates an intimidating, hostile, or offensive work environment. Legally, an incident need only happen once to be considered quid pro quo harassment. However, hostile environment harassment must occur repeatedly unless the behavior in question is exceptionally blatant (such as sexual assault or unwanted touching). Both forms of harassment can happen to one individual or to several, and can come from one individual or several. It can come from co-workers or supervisors, men or women, and it can be verbal, physical, or both. Both forms of harassment are illegal.
Review your workplace sexual harassment policy. Follow it, unless your workplace does not have one.
You might say “I am not comfortable with your behavior since you asked me out. I said no, and I tried to be nice about it because we are coworkers, but the fact that you have continued to hint that you would like to see me outside of work makes me feel pressured. I want you to stop. " Or say “I need you to understand that the jokes about my clothes and my sexual orientation have got to stop. I hate them. I don’t want anyone speculating on my personal life, and I don’t want you to use me as a prop in your jokes. Do you understand?” If you do not feel safe talking to your harasser, go directly to your supervisor or HR department.
Make sure to tell your supervisor as soon as you have talked to your harasser, in case your harasser takes steps to retaliate against you.
They will either attempt to settle the complaint with a mediator, dismiss the case, or file a lawsuit in federal court. If they are unable to file a charge or reach a settlement, they will give you a right-to-sue letter. You can request a right-to-sue letter if you wish to sue before the EEOC investigation is concluded. You are legally protected from retaliation for filing a discrimination charge, testifying, or otherwise participating in an investigation, proceeding, or litigation under Title VII. Check your state protections as well. Some states offer even stronger protections than Title VII.
Include these guidelines in the student handbook, and have guest speakers visit classes. Get parents involved. Hold after-school meetings to educate parents about sexual harassment and its harmful effects. Reward student assertiveness. Encourage students to speak up when they experience or witness sexual harassment. Take any complainant seriously. Take seriously complaints about teachers in sexually harassing students.
Explain how you feel to your other friends. Listen to how they feel. If your friends persist in disrespecting you, refuse to hang out with them.
