Sexual Harassment, Time to Take Action

You can call it the Harvey Weinstein effect but sexual harassment is not just a Hollywood problem. It exists in all industries and has for years. Sexual harassment is on employee’s minds, which means all employers are at an increased risk of a sexual harassment claim. We have decades of experience preparing sexual harassment policies, training and investigating allegations.

The standard sexual harassment compliance advice has been to implement a well written sexual harassment policy, and invest in sexual harassment training. Yet, many of the workplaces rocked by recent claims—including the Weinstein Company in California, home to the country’s strictest anti-harassment laws—had a policy and training in place. What can be done?

It is time for all employers to revisit and revise their existing policies and practices. The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has released a new document identifying five core principles for addressing and preventing sexual harassment in the workplace. According to the EEOC, the principles are "promising practices," rather than official guidance or legal requirements. They include:

1. Committed and engaged leadership;
2. Consistent accountability;
3. Strong harassment policies;
4. Trusted, accessible complaint procedures; and
5. Regular, interactive and tailored training.

We can minimize your risk with training and policy review. We keep up on changes in the law so you do not have to—contact us for help.