How to deal with sexual harassment complaints from employees?

In spite of efforts made by the government and different organizations to spread awareness about sexual harassment and discrimination, the issue is still prevalent in many workplaces and this is why sexual harassment lawyers are so busy. This is why the human resource department of every company is expected to treat complaints of sexual harassment complaints.

Even when a manager, supervisor, or a co-worker claims that he or she was just cracked a harmless joke it is the duty of the HR department to make that individual realize that the so-called joke might be construed as an unwelcome behavior.

                       

Good Reporting System

A victim may approach the Equal Employment Opportunities Commission (EEOC) and file a complaint without reporting the incident to his or her employer. For the most part, there is no law mandating the victim to report the incident to the company first. However, sexual harassment lawyers believe that the employee must inform the management first when such an incident happens on the premises.

For this very reason, it is important for every employer to have a good reporting system so that these incidents can be reported anonymously and dealt with proactively. Often times, it is possible to bring an early end to the problem through mediation between the parties and reprimanding the harasser. Furthermore, the reputation of the company remains protected since the matter is kept out of the EEOC and potential sexual harassment lawsuits.

The company must identify people within its workforce who are equipped to handle sensitive issues. This ought to preferably be someone in authority and holding a managerial position. It would be suitable to have several authorized individuals who can be approached by employees who wish to report harassment. The employee handbook must have the names and numbers of the people who can be approached to deal with the issue. In addition, complaints must be allowed to be made discretely through emails and hotlines in order to protect the victim.

If you are the victim of sexual harassment and the situation is severe you need to utilize this website: http://sexual-harassment-lawyers.usattorneys.com/. You need legal help. This website is a Godsend and has literally saved lives. The situation you are in is horrendous but there is a legal and ethical way out. Your organization messed up and they should feel your pain. How does someone like that even get hired? 

How does an employer investigate a harassment incident?

As an employer you must never suppress a complaint. You will land in serious legal trouble if the victim’s sexual harassment attorneys are able to prove that you did nothing to stop the harasser. You might have to pay substantially more in damages when this is all said and done and then answer for your behavior. The German government knows all about this and Germany is now in a situation that should concern them greatly. Too bad the White House is still trying to figure out how to bring thousands and thousands of questionable Middle Eastern people into this country.

Whenever you receive a complaint make sure to document it and then begin an impartial investigation into the incident. It is important to form a committee who will question the victim, the harasser, and the witnesses. The employer must also scrutinize evidence submitted by the victim. This could involve plenty of paperwork but documents are important since they can provide evidence that the company has done its duty and considers every complaint seriously. If the complaint is not serious and proves to be a waste of time, the complainer can face some heat as well.

Steps to Take after the Harassment

Sexual harassment lawyers know that immediate action must be taken against the alleged harasser. The punishment must send a strong signal to others that such behavior will not be tolerated on the premises of the company. Most importantly, the quantum or type of punishment must depend on the nature of the crime.

For example, a manager can be let off the hook with just a warning if he/she has been guilty of indulging in a few vulgar jokes. However, if a manager is guilty of asking for sexual favors persistently from an employee then he or she ought to be terminated. It would be sensible to conduct awareness campaigns periodically and take initiatives to protect employees from further harassment.