The following actions may help organizations from being slapped with sexual
harassment lawsuits:
Draw up a sexual
harassment/discrimination policy quickly, if you don’t have one already.
Get it vetted by an attorney and make all your employees read and sign it.
It should proclaim that your organization does not, in any way, tolerate
sexual harassment. Update this policy annually.
Make employees and
supervisors aware of the contents of the policy from time to time and
drive home the point that reporting would not go against the employee
alleging sexual harassment. Ask the supervisors to immediately inform the
management of all sexual harassment complaints, without exception.
Provide different avenues for
employees to file complaints like installing a hotline, approaching the HR
department or contacting especially designated supervisors. Give the
option of both male and female company representatives.
Encourage employees to come
forward and report sexual harassment that they experience or witness.
Conduct sexual harassment
training, even if it only constitutes reading material or an audio-video
presentation. With this, your employees cannot claim that they were not
provided training.
Undertake annual survey by
asking the employees whether they have experienced any form of sexual
harassment during the past year. This will show how serious and proactive
your organization is in preventing and correcting sexual harassment. This
will also help pre-empt potential sexual harassment violations before they
become a problem.
Conduct proper and thorough
investigations of the complaints received and ensure that the victims
don’t suffer any retaliation. Treat same-sex harassment at par with those
of the opposite sex.
Keep a record of all cases
and the methods instituted for the correction and prevention of sexual
harassment.