FALSE ACCUSATIONS OF SEXUAL HARRASSMENT
PROTECT YOURSELF!
Don’t become a member of the #mealso group!
Fortune 500 companies have been preaching the rules and regulations prohibiting sexual harassment since the 1980’s. That takes me back to the day when sexually explicit jokes where commonly told in the office and girlie calendars hung in company workshops. This sort of appalling behavior ran rampant until corporate America started receiving lawsuits left and right.
Today, if you’re not addressing sexual harassment in your office you apparently work alone!
As we watched in the Judge Brett Kavanaugh Supreme Court case, we saw how a person’s life hangs in the balance while an investigation goes on and on, how one’s livelihood can be ruined, and reputation forever smeared by false allegations of sexual misconduct.
While a person can be falsely accused, it goes without saying having appropriate workplace programs in place, sexual harassment training, and a zero-tolerance policy surely helps in the defense of your business.
Develop a company-wide understanding of what’s considered sexual harassment and harbor a workplace of zero tolerance. Training should include the tip that there’s also zero tolerance for false accusations, that termination could be warranted for anyone falsely accusing another employee.
No jokes! Learn to immediately apologize if you say something that could be taken in an offensive manner. Know your co-worker’s personalities and sensitivities, and act accordingly.
In 1980, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (E.E.O.C.) issued guidelines, defining sex harassment as ''unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature'' when they are either a condition of employment or when they become so much a part of the work environment that they interfere with a person's ability to perform.
Informative facts about sexual harassment can be found at www.eeoc.gov/eeoc/publications/fs-sex.cfm. Sexual harassment is a form of sex discrimination that violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Title VII applies to employers with 15 or more employees, including state and local governments. It also applies to employment agencies and to labor organizations, as well as to the federal government.
However, it shouldn’t matter if your business has under or over 15 employee’s sexual harassment policies should be in place to protect your employees and your company. Is your employee handbook up to date? Have all employees been through a sexual harassment training program?
It happens! The study conducted in 2016, “Select Task Force on the Study of Harassment in the Workplace,” by EEOC (link below) showed that 1 in 4 women will be the victim of sexual harassment in the workplace. This is a conservative statistic, considering the study saw anywhere from 25% to 85% of women having been the victim of workplace sexual harassment. EEOC also estimates that 75% of those who are victims to these hostile work environments will not report their harassment. For a detailed report, refer to https://www.eeoc.gov/eeoc/task_force/harassment/upload/report.pdf
Protect yourself from being harassed, misunderstood, or becoming one of the falsely accused. Here are some personal policies to consider. Do not consume alcohol with co-workers, or in the workplace. Or, strictly limit consumption to one drink. Do not discuss personal stuff at work. Do not comment on co-workers looks. Do not date co-workers and only attend functions in groups of three or more.
Connie Laughlin is a Business Consultant for UniqueHR.
You may contact Connie at (361) 852-6392, (800) 824-8367, or [email protected].