by Jimmy Flatbush

Created on: April 11, 2011

It starts with a few words. A co-worker invites you to a social gathering outside of the work environment. You respectfully decline, but the co-worker becomes persistent, even adamant, with additional invitations. The invitations eventually degenerate into forceful demands. Your continual declines upset the co-worker, who changes tactics by making disparaging sexual remarks about you. You avoid the co-worker, but not the salacious emails. Finally, you find yourself alone with the co-worker, who pushes you against the wall and gropes your thighs. The initial social invitations have turned into full-blown sexual harassment.

Sexual harassment remains the number one complaint filed by employees with the Department of Labor (DOL)). During 2010, DOL offices received over 12,000 cases of sexual harassment in the workplace. Labor analysts cannot put a number on the number of cases that never reach DOL jurisdiction. Despite in-depth orientations and company-sponsored seminars, sexual harassment continues to destroy professional relationships with alarming frequency. Sexual harassment touches the lives of people working in every industry, from manufacturing firms to high-tech contractors. The public sector is not immune from the rash of sexual harassment cases. DOL researchers reported a record number of sexual harassment complaints files by federal employees during fiscal year 2009.

Federal law defines sexual harassment as behavior that creates a hostile or abusive work environment that deprives employees from unwanted and unwelcome sexual overtures. Sexual harassment may include inappropriate touching, derogatory comments, and request for sexual favors. Federal law also prohibits conduct that is physically threatening, harmful, or humiliating. Perception often drives sexual harassment cases, especially when it comes to jokes, drawings, or photographs that someone deems offensive because of its perceived sexual context. Most companies have developed a uniform process for handling sexual harassment complaints. This process comprises the tips for dealing with sexual harassment in the workplace.

The first and most important step in dealing with sexual harassment in the workplace is directly communicating with the person who you perceive has offended you. Most sexual harassment incidents end after the offended party communicates with the offender. Sexual harassment offenders typically do not realize that they have made an offensive comment; their remarks are merely the

• 1
• 2
• Next Page >>