If you’re an individual who feels as though he or she is subjected to sexual harassment in the workplace, this article is for you. The information is designed to assist you in making a determination as to whether you have been subjected to sexual harassment and, if so, the appropriate steps for you to follow. It also provides information that will assist you in obtaining a lawsuit loan.

The first step you should take is to identify whether the conduct about which you are concerned actually constitutes harassment. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission states that unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors or any conduct of a sexual nature is morally wrong, unethical and unacceptable in the workplace. This is the first step in obtaining a lawsuit loan to assist you in pursuing a claim against the harasser.

If an employee either submits to or rejects such advances, these actions cannot be used against the employee as a basis on which employment decisions are made. Additionally, such advances should neither be used to intimidate nor subject the employee to a hostile/offensive work environment. It is irrelevant whether the conduct was intentional. In either instance, you may qualify for a lawsuit loan.

There are two types of sexual harassment. “Quid pro quo” harassment involves something given in exchange for something else. A “hostile work environment” is the second type of sexual harassment that may be found in the workplace.

Quid pro quo harassment occurs when a basis for employment decisions affecting an employee includes either submission and to or rejection of conduct constituting sexual harassment. This form of harassment occurs when a supervisor, manager, or someone else who’s in a position to influence employment decisions, utilizes the employee’s submission or rejection as a criterion in assessing the employee’s performance.

In a hostile environment, sexual harassment occurs in the workplace for the purpose or effect of interfering with an employee’s work performance. It may also simply mean that the work environment is intimidating or offensive to a specific employee. It is sad to note that employees often feel as though they cannot afford to pursue an action against the harasser, merely quietly tolerating the egregious conduct. You may find that a lawsuit loan puts the power in your hands.

If the harasser intends to create a hostile environment and is successful in doing so, the conduct in which the harasser engages violates the Title VII. Significantly, even if the harasser did not intend to create a hostile work environment, the conduct still may constitute a violation of Title VII.

In our next article, we will discuss ways in which to address the issue of sexual harassment in the workplace. If you think that a lawsuit loan could keep you from hopelessly accepting the harasser’s conduct, you are encouraged to investigate this option without further delay!

Looking to find the best deal on a lawsuit loan , then visit us to find the best advice on lawsuit loans designed especially for you.

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In a bad economy where money is tight, sales are down, and employees are frightful of what lies ahead for them, the very last thing your company needs is a lawsuit brought by a disgruntled employee. Yet according to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the number of lawsuits being won against companies across the country is absolutely staggering. Many professional posit we are now in the mist of a national lawsuit epidemic.

Based on my 12 years of training thousands of Human Resource (HR) professionals on HR Laws, and consulting with hundreds of companies and organizations throughout the country, here is a first hand, behind the scenes look at why attorneys are winning tens of million of dollars each year for workers all over the country. And with the average payout in an employment lawsuit at $750,000 (not including attorneys’ fees), it’s not hard to imagine this trend continuing for many years to come. The good news however is that the majority of these wounds are self inflicted and can be prevented. Therefore, your company does not have to become a victim of this wild litigation beast. Here are seven lucrative areas attorneys are finding unlimited fodder to feed this every growing monster called worker litigation. You must act quickly to close the education and knowledge gap in these areas.

1. Untrained Supervisors. In my many years of experience this area (bar none), ranks as the number one venue for worker lawsuits. It is an absolute travesty what we do to supervisors in this country. We throw them in leadership positions, without providing any leadership training- whatsoever. You screwed in more light bulbs than anyone else over the last three years, so you’re the new supervisor. Well guess what? There is nothing “super” about these individuals “vision.” Because supervisors are agents of the company, left untrained, they pose a grave and gathering threat to the company’s bottom line. Priority one should be to have new supervisors immediately trained and acclimated on the legal aspects of supervising workers in today’s work environment. This training should be done as a prerequisite to them taking on their new role as supervisor. In additional, all supervisors should be required to attend “mandatory policy training” on a yearly basis. Attorneys are keenly aware this is a key area where companies and organizations, both large and small drop the ball. Winning lawsuits against untrained supervisors in this new “knowledge economy” is so easy; it’s like taking candy from a baby.

2. Sexual Harassment Taken Too Lightly. It is far beyond human belief the number of companies (today) that fail to take this area of policy seriously. And attorneys are having an all out field day. The courts ruled when it comes to sexual harassment, your company will always be held liable for the actions of its supervisors. In 2002 along, workers were awarded a stunning $50 million, and this figure does not reflect those workers who actually litigated their cases. More shocking is the fact that some 90 percent of victims never file a formal complaint. If $50 million was paid out and 90% of workers never file a complaint, then Houston, we have a problem. When you couple the illegal actions and behavior of supervisors in this area, with the knowledge available to the rank and file employee through the internet, you have a formula for disaster. And in a lawsuit, courts require that companies provide proof certain that sexual harassment training was conducted. What do you think the number one defense supervisors use when they face a sexual harassment lawsuit? You guessed it “I didn’t know.” Everyday you allow supervisors to come to work, unfamiliar and untrained on your policies concerning sexual harassment law; you are one step closer to a back breaking lawsuit, which leads to the next area of concern.

3. Retaliation Grossly Underestimated. The alarming number of cases brought before the EEOC for retaliation (in one year) jumped a whopping 23 percent (from the year 2007 to 2008). Look at it from this prospective. If you held a stock and it jumped 23% in one year, wouldn’t you be ecstatic? This is an area that has attorneys dancing in the street. In 2008 along, some 33,000 cases were filed for retaliation. When I conduct “supervisor and management training” across the country, I explicate this as one of the most serious charges a supervisor can face in the courtroom today. So what is retaliation? Retaliation occurs after a charge is made against a supervisor or company, and as a result the person making the charge is treated differently. Attorneys use a sophisticated system of uncovering when this illegal act occurs. Every law under the sun governing the employer/employee relationship from OSHA to HIPPA, to FMLA and FLSA, all clearly state that there can be no retaliation against the employee who brought the charge, neither the witnesses. And be prepared because when a lawsuit ensues, the attorney will ask your company if it has a written non-retaliatory clause included in the company’s policies. Take a close look at this next one.

4. Shot-ty Record Keeping. It is an attorney’s dream to bring a workers’ case before the court and the company’s supervisors cannot present the records necessary to defend the company. There must be strict guidelines concerning what records are to be kept, how they are to be maintained, and if and when they can be destroyed. One law every supervisor must learn as part of basic supervisor training is the law concerning “spoliation.” This law governs even electronic data. Train every supervisor on proper documentation and record keeping. This next one is white hot.

5. Employee Private Information Being Breached. Supervisors are privy to some of the company’s most highly guarded secrets. They have access to protected information on employees such as Social Security Numbers, Dates of Birth, family information, bank accounts, all the way to damaging medical information. Question: have you trained your supervisors to understand that all private information on employees is to remain private. Better yet, has the company written privacy policies that govern and protect these data? Sad is the fact that in most companies, the rumor mill and gossip mill is often initiated by and spread through untrained supervisors. Be advised; protecting private information in the workplaces of today is not a good idea, it is the law. Get your supervisors trained like yesterday. Look at this next hot button area.

6. The Age Law Trampled On. The age law of 1967, which falls under Title VII, is often misunderstood and just plain trampled on in today’s workplace. And for untrained and unsuspecting supervisors, it is an expressway to disaster. Age discrimination lawsuits are up a whopping 29 percent from 2007 to 2008 (again this of this as a stock that you’re holding). What this screams in my ear is either supervisors don’t know or they don’t care to know this law. Either way your company will pay a heavy price. And if this isn’t enough, the Supreme Court just added new teeth to this law. Listen carefully; in the recent Meacham v. Knolls Atomic Power case (June 2008), the high court ruled that the burden of proof is now even greater on the employer to prove a factor, other than age, when an employee brings an age discrimination lawsuit against the company. And with the American workforce aging rapidly, training supervisors on the age law may just save your company from a $750,000 judgment. Just think, how much training your company can conduct for $750,000. And last but not least is the next white hot area which can be avoided with proper training.

7. Interviewers Gone Wild. There are strict guidelines as to what questions can and cannot be asked during an interview. Problem is most supervisors don’t know the difference between the two. Why? Because they have not been trained. For instance you cannot ask a candidate if they are married, about a disability, their age, gender, or even if they have children. Then there is the nail biting act of making lots of promises to the candidate during the interview, which the company cannot keep. An important part of what must be accomplished during the hiring process (and long before promises are made to interviewees), is for the HR department to conduct a thorough and complete background check of each individual. So why do so many supervisors continue to make these simple mistakes? Because they have never attended a “proper interviewing techniques” class. Absolutely inexcusable in today’s work environment. HR, you must take the lead and get them trained in this area. Please be advised, you are dealing with the most sophisticated workforce ever in the history of this country. A workforce armed with new knowledge of the entire hiring process. Because of the internet, applicants often know the exact questions you can and cannot ask them during the interview. Do your supervisors know?

Summary

Supervisors are agents of the company, and left untrained, pose a grave and gathering threat to the company’s bottom line. In a bad economy where money is tight, sales are down, and employees are frightful of what lies ahead for them, the very last thing your company needs is a lawsuit brought by a disgruntled employee. Untrained supervisors rank as the number one reason workers are winning millions of dollars in worker lawsuits. And with the average payout in a worker lawsuit sitting at $750,000 (not including attorneys’ fees), your company must move quickly to train supervisors on these current employment laws.

Copyright © 2009 Cubie Davis King, PhD. All rights reserved.

Dr. Cubie Davis King is the author of the new book, The New Handbook for Supervisors, and is a performance technologist wit a Ph.D. in Training & Performance Improvement. As president of FIT (The Foundation for Improving Talent and Performance) located in San Diego, CA, he is considered a foremost expert in developing workforce plans for knowledge management, talent retention, and succession planning. To book Dr. King for your next staff training go directly to his website http://www.goldcrowninc.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Cubie_King
http://EzineArticles.com/?7-Inexcusable-Ways-Supervisors-Get-Their-Company-Sued&id=2419371

Sexual Favoritism falls under the Hostile Environment category of the federal law that governs harassment and discrimination in the workplace.

Sexual Favoritism is not a federal law unto itself (although some states declare it as such), but an aspect of either Quid Pro Quo or Hostile Environment that is worth exploring.

This type of harassment occurs when employees, who submit to a manager or supervisor’s sexual demands, are rewarded by that manager or supervisor. It is important to note however, that the wronged party(ies) is not the one who submitted, but those who did not and are denied the benefits of the submission.

In other words, employees who are otherwise denied raises or promotions may claim that they were penalized by the sexual attention directed at the favored coworkers.

How has the court ruled in these cases?

• Isolated events and non-coerced submission to sexual demands have not been upheld by the courts as sexual harassment.
• The employer may be held liable for unlawful sex discrimination against other persons who were qualified for but were denied that employment opportunity or benefit.
• Supervisors may also be held liable.

Court Case

Astra AB, a Swedish company, admitted it allowed a hostile work environment — including requests for sexual favors in exchange for favorable treatment – for women at its U.S. headquarters in Westboro, Massachusetts.

Award: $9,850,000 in monetary damages

For more on other types of Sexual Harassment, read about Quid Pro Quo or Sexual Harassment by Non-Employees.

Protect your business from this type of harassment. Make sure your employees are well-trained in harassment and discrimination prevention and awareness.

Rhonda Goetz
Chrome Zebra, Inc.
Helping Employers Prevent Harassment and Discrimination Lawsuits
866.241.9927
http://www.chromezebra.com
Online Human Resource Training

Rhonda Goetz is the owner and CEO of Chrome Zebra. She also is an authorized harassment and discrimination trainer and online instructional designer.

Her online courses provide businesses with an alternate training method that saves time and money. Employees train at their desks or workstations, and can train anytime. Businesses no longer have to lose production time to large training seminars, or hire expensive consultants or be locked into a set training schedule. Online training is cost-effective as well; per employee cost is approximately $25 or less for each employee.

Get the F.ree 10 Tips to Prevent Sexual Harassment, sign up here.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Rhonda_Goetz
http://EzineArticles.com/?Company-Liability:-Sexual-Harassment-and-Inappropriate-Rewards&id=79479

Sexual harassment is yet another reason companies must immediately conduct supervisor training for staff. It is the 900lb gorilla in the room most companies would rather ignore, but it is not going away. This red hot issue must be dealt with, and the sooner the better.

An Illegal Act

The very first fact that supervisors must be taught is that sexual harassment is an illegal act punishable by law. According to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), companies paid out over $50 million in 2002 along to settle cases brought by employees. And with the average payout estimated at around $750,000, this has become a road to wealth for workers across the country. The cases I’m personally privy to are shocking. Supervisors gone wild in workplaces throughout the country, often costing irreparable harm to the company’s reputation and image in the community. One thing most supervisors fail to realize is (besides being held personally liable from a monetary point of view) they can also be brought up on criminal charges as well.

The Numbers Are Staggering

It is estimated that some 15,000 charges of sexual harassment are filed with the EEOC each and every year. And that $50 million awards figure noted above does not include employees who decide to litigate instead of settle their cases. And get this more than 90 per cent of victims never file a formal complaint or file a lawsuit. If companies are paying out over $50 million (not including litigation), and 90 per cent of employees never bring the charge up, then we have a very serious problem. This really is a 90lb gorilla in the room. Companies that choose to ignore this problem, do so to their own peril.

The New Frontier

With the world of work changing rapidly, there is an upsetting trend happening in today’s workplaces. Same sex harassment is exploding in record numbers. Supervisors must be trained to spot, address, and effectively deal with this increasing problem. Some 21% of all cases filed with the EEOC yearly are same sex harassment.

Get This Training Done ASAP

Your company must immediately go on record and get clarity with workers and supervisors as to what is strictly prohibited conduct in the workplace. Explicate everything from back rubs to invading a workers space, to risqué jokes to downloading porn on the company’s computers. Companies today cannot afford to leave any stone unturned. Supervisors should know the legal ramifications of their actions and have the chance to ask questions of your policy.

The company is not a baby sitter, nor should it become the relationship police. However everyone including supervisors should understand the legal backlash that may result from their careless actions. In simple terms, supervisors should just say no to office romances because workplace fraternization today is an open invitation to give away everything they have worked for in their life, including their reputation. Companies need to conduct sexual harassment training every year at the very least, in order to keep it fresh on the mind of every employee. The strategy being to correct the harassment before it becomes a major problem.

Summary

Sexual harassment is an illegal act punishable by law, and is yet another reason companies must immediately conduct supervisor training for staff. Companies today cannot ignore this 900lb gorilla sitting in the room. Therefore, they must be proactive in providing clarity on this red hot issue.

© 2009 Cubie Davis King. All rights reserved.

Dr. Cubie Davis King, Ph.D is a Training & Performance Improvement Technologist, with a resume which includes 9 years military service, and executive positions with Xerox & CitiGroup, Dr. King has won top performance awards at every level in his storied career. He heads FIT (The Foundation for Improving Talent & Performance). His latest work is the SuperVisors Core Training 1.0 System .Dr. King is an adjunct professor at National University in San Diego, CA. To reach him go directly to Dr. King’s website http://www.goldcrowninc.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Cubie_King

You can be sexually harassed or you can witness someone being sexually harassed. The way you deal with the situation is of great importance. You need to know the right steps that you should take. First of all, you must be aware that the laws prohibit the act and action should be taken to ensure that justice if practiced. You should not keep it dark.

You must be keen on the actions you take when handling harassment. You must be sure you do the right thing. The following will help you a lot.

Talk to harasser

Harassment can be deliberate or not. When you make attempts to talk to the harasser, you will be able to know whether the action was deliberate or not. You must be clear about the action that you found to be harassing. You must also be open about how you feel about the issue.

Don’t stop your life

Usually, instances of harassment are reported from workplaces or even schools or learning institutions. It is important that you never let a harassment stop your life. For instance, you should not boycott classes because you feel harassed by your teacher or lecturer.

Suppose you are harassed at work, you must not also stop coming to work. You know best why you go to work and what you want to achieve. You must not kill your life. Instead, find an appropriate way of dealing with the situation. Running away is never a solution at all.

Adequate documentation

Just in case you would need to seek legal help, it would be important to have up to date information. Sometimes it may not be possible to remember everything. You would need to be sure about what you should report. You can track all these when you have proper documentation.

All the incidents of harassment should be documented. You would need to keep track of time, date, place and the harasser. If possible, you would need to include the actions you took.

Share the experience

You have friends. Friends should help you think through a problem. You need to share with them what you are going through and hear what they have to say. It would help you make decisions.

Write to harasser

You could make note to the harasser just be sure that they understand what you feel. This should clearly indicate the date of sexual harassment, the event that harassed you, your feelings about it and your wishes. Your feelings would be like you feel harassed sexually and your wishes are that it should stop.

You would give this time to see the outcome. If after these attempts the harasser still harasses you, then legal action is required. If this was his or her way of initiating office romance, then he or she will have gotten it all wrong. You would need to ask him to find better romance ideas than harassment.

When you are getting over a break up, you may be confused. You would need to find out how to break up so that you do not end up harassing others sexually in the office or elsewhere.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Armen_Wilson

Sexual harassment is a legal term which is defined as the unwanted, unwelcome sexual advances of another person. While sexual harassment is never acceptable, it becomes an even larger problem when it occurs in the workplace or at school, and in those environments are the only places laws cover. There are many situations in which sexual harassment can occur, but the following are the most commonly reported.

Facts About Sexual Harassment

The victim does not have to be the opposite sex of the aggressor. Same-sex sexual harassment complaints are receiving more and more attention nationwide. Same-sex harassment is accepted as a valid and punishable form of harassment in the workplace.

A common misconception is that the harasser is typically the supervisor or in some way superior to the harassed. Anyone can be harassed by anyone else that they work with, regardless of their situation or station at the place of employment.The harassment must be unwelcome. A prior relationship between the aggressor and the harassed should not have taken place, or the validity of the claim may be questionable.

The victim is not necessarily the one who was harassed but could, in fact, be anyone who was affected in a negative way. Another office worker who was offended by the conduct or comments of his or her co-workers could in fact file charges against and receive restitution from their company and co-workers.

Two Legally Recognized Forms of Sexual Harassment

There are two legally recognized forms of sexual harassment, quid pro quo and hostile environment sexual harassment.

The most common is Quid Pro Quo, which roughly translated from the Latin means “something for something.” This type of harassment occurs when a persons’ acceptance or rejection of the sexual advances of another individual determines the victim’s economic advancement or job advancement. In proving this type of sexual harassment, the victim needs to demonstrate that there was a threat of economic loss due to the harassment. Putting employees in that situation not only affects those involved with the harassment, but also affects overall job morale and productivity.

Hostile environment sexual harassment happens when unwelcome sexual conduct occurs in the workplace and makes the work environment hostile and demanding. The workplace may involve sexual graffiti, repeated sexual advances or offensive language. While this type of harassment may not result in a tangible loss of job or promotion, the environment of working under this type of sexual harassment has serious implications for the employees’ mental health.

If you have been sexually harassed and would like more information concerning this crime, contact [http://www.orangecountyemployment.com/]http://www.orangecountyemployment.com for more information and to have all of your questions answered.

Joseph Devine

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Sexual harassment is a form of unwanted attention that is sexual in nature.  The behaviors that compose harassment range from unwelcome comments, inappropriate sexual advances, and unacceptable physical contact.  Sexual harassment is a form of discrimination that violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.   When submission or rejection of the undesired attention affects an individual’s employment or creates an uncomfortable work environment, legal options are available to deal with the situation.

In a sexual harassment case, the harasser may be a man or woman.  The victim does not have to be of the opposite sex. The harasser’s actions must be unwelcome and unwanted. The victim does not necessarily have to be the party who was harassed but can be anyone who was offended by the sexual comments or actions.  It is recommended that the victim speak directly to the perpetrator about the effects of their actions. The insulted party should also use any employee grievance or complaint system in place at their job.   If talking directly with the harasser does not work, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has an investigation system. The EEOC explores all the facts of the situation, including the nature of the sexual advances and the context in which they occurred.  Allegations and charges are made on a case by case basis, so statistics regarding the chance of a conviction from the EEOC are unavailable.

Data about the overall prevalence of sexual harassment does exist.  The EEOC reports that about 15,000 cases exist a year, with 40-60% of those complaints coming from women.   Although the majority of incidents originate from situations with female victims, the prevalence of male victims is rapidly increasing. In 2004, about 15% of reports came from male victims. Within this subgroup, a common scenario is harassment from a female boss or manager. Sexual harassment does not discriminate and unfortunately affects both sexes and all ages.

Common effects of unwanted attention and advances include decreased work or school performance, defamation of character and reputation, increased absenteeism, and weakening of social support in the environment where the problem occurred.   Individual psychological effects include depression, anxiety, shame, loss of confidence, guilt, and anger. On a macro level, organizations suffer from the effects of harassment as well through decreased productivity, increased team conflict, decreased job satisfaction, and legal problems if the predicament is ignored. Sexual harassment is a serious problem in modern society. If you are interested in learning more, this sexual harassment website can help.

Joseph Devine

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Joseph_Devine

The interesting thing about sexual harassment and other civil rights, is that it has been illegal since 1964 to discriminate on the basis of sex, national origin, age, color, race or religion. Back then, and over the intervening years, while people paid this concept lip service, not a lot of people actually did anything about it. Victims, in particular, were not prone to speaking up for themselves and sexual harassment continued behind closed doors and unreported, tolerated because someone needed a job.

Sexual harassment is very much about power and control and those that choose to go this route with their employees need to be stopped in their tracks, taken down a peg or two. This type of behavior is not acceptable under any circumstances in the 21st century.

Federal sexual harassment law is dealt with in one of two categories. The first is Quid Pro Quo and the second is referred to as Hostile Sexual Environment. In simple terms, the hostile sexual environment comes about when unwelcome sexual conduct ruins the work atmosphere. It permeates everything a person does, affects work performance, and creates an offensive environment at all company functions – in the actual workplace and at gatherings.

There are certain types of harassment that are considered in the hostile sexual environment category, and they include vulgar sounds, vulgar statements, indirect sexual remarks, obvious sexual conduct, abusive language, and very sexually explicit graffiti, pinups or jokes. One of the requirements to make a case of a hostile sexual environment is that the behavior complained of happens repeatedly and is considered to be unwelcome.

The most important thing to remember is that it makes no difference what the harasser thought they were doing – as in they thought it was flattering. The only person’s point of view in these circumstances is the victim’s. If they feel it is unwelcome behavior, then it is harassment – period!

In cases like this the whole company may come under scrutiny and in some instances it is not unexpected that courts will hold employers liable in sexual harassment cases that involved vendors, customers, supervisors and other employees.

If you feel you have been or are a victim of sexual harassment in the workplace, contact a qualified sexual harassment attorney immediately and discuss the details of your potential case. Only a competent attorney is able to help you get through the landmines of a sexual harassment case.

Michael G. Smith is a Little Rock injury lawyer and Little Rock accident lawyer, practicing personal injury law in Little Rock Arkansas. Learn more by visiting Arkansaslawhelp.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Michael_G._Smith

Sexual Favoritism falls under the Hostile Environment category of the federal law that governs harassment and discrimination in the workplace.

Sexual Favoritism is not a federal law unto itself (although some states declare it as such), but an aspect of either Quid Pro Quo or Hostile Environment that is worth exploring.

This type of harassment occurs when employees, who submit to a manager or supervisor’s sexual demands, are rewarded by that manager or supervisor. It is important to note however, that the wronged party(ies) is not the one who submitted, but those who did not and are denied the benefits of the submission.

In other words, employees who are otherwise denied raises or promotions may claim that they were penalized by the sexual attention directed at the favored coworkers.

How has the court ruled in these cases?

Isolated events and non-coerced submission to sexual demands have not been upheld by the courts as sexual harassment.

The employer may be held liable for unlawful sex discrimination against other persons who were qualified for but were denied that employment opportunity or benefit.

Supervisors may also be held liable.

Court Case

Astra AB, a Swedish company, admitted it allowed a hostile work environment — including requests for sexual favors in exchange for favorable treatment – for women at its U.S. headquarters in Westboro, Massachusetts.

Award: $9,850,000 in monetary damages

For more on other types of Sexual Harassment, read about [http://ezinearticles.com/?Company-Liability:-Sexual-Harassment-Quid-Pro-Quo&id=79450]Quid Pro Quo or [http://ezinearticles.com/?Company-Liability:--Sexual-Harassment-by-Non-Employees&id=79515]Sexual Harassment by Non-Employees.

Protect your business from this type of harassment. Make sure your employees are well-trained in harassment and discrimination prevention and awareness.

Rhonda Goetz

Chrome Zebra, Inc.

Helping Employers Prevent Harassment and Discrimination Lawsuits

866.241.9927 http://www.chromezebra.com

Online Human Resource Training

Rhonda Goetz is the owner and CEO of Chrome Zebra.  She also is an authorized harassment and discrimination trainer and online instructional designer.

Her online courses provide businesses with an alternate training method that saves time and money.  Employees train at their desks or workstations, and can train anytime. Businesses no longer have to lose production time to large training seminars, or hire expensive consultants or be locked into a set training schedule.  Online training is cost-effective as well; per employee cost is approximately $25 or less for each employee.

Get the F.ree 10 Tips to Prevent Sexual Harassment, sign up   here.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Rhonda_Goetz

Every individual has the right to feel secure, comfortable, and respected in his or her workplace. In many, or even most, office environments, employees are treated with the dignity and respect they deserve. Unfortunately, even with extensive information and educational materials available on the subject of sexual harassment and its legal and ethical dangers, a number of individuals remain the victims of sexual harassment in the workplace.

By understanding what exactly constitutes different forms of sexual harassment, hopefully more people can become aware of the possible effects of their actions (if they could be perceived as hostile or inappropriate). Additionally, individuals who are the victims of sexual harassment will hopefully be empowered to stand up for themselves and demand the respect they deserve.

Quid pro Quo Sexual Harassment

Perhaps the most commonly thought of form of sexual harassment is known as quid pro quo sexual harassment. In Latin, quid pro quo means “something for something”. With this form of sexual harassment, an individual in a managerial position (eg. a manager or supervisor) will either

·         Offer a lower-level employee additional benefits or work privileges in exchange for sexual favors

·         Threaten a lower-level employee with the loss of benefits or work privileges, or possible termination, if they do not engage in some sort of sexual activity

In cases of quid pro quo sexual harassment, not only is the individual making the sexual advancements guilty of harassment, but the company and top-level executives can be held responsible as well, as managers and supervisors are usually considered to be acting on behalf of their superiors.

Hostile Work Environment

Another type of sexual harassment that can show up in workplaces is known as hostile work environment sexual harassment. A hostile work environment is created when individuals create an environment that makes one or more employees feel uncomfortable or victimized in the workplace because of either subtle or overt sexual materials or actions.

Examples of actions that could create a hostile work environment may include

·         Unwanted physical contact
·         Flirtatious behavior
·         Sexually explicit emails, jokes, or pictures

This particular type of sexual harassment is especially dangerous in the workplace because individuals often do not think about how their actions may be perceived by their co-workers. What one person may consider a relatively harmless joke might be extremely offensive to another person. To prevent creating a hostile work environment, all employees should take into consideration the feelings and opinions of their co-workers to prevent offense.

If you would like more information on sexual harassment, contact Los Angeles sexual harassment lawyer Perry Smith today.

Joseph Devine

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Joseph_Devine