You can’t scroll through your social media feed or turn on the news right now without learning of another allegation of sexual harassment. The news coverage has illuminated the magnitude of this problem. Sexual harassment is certainly not a new concept but maybe we are at a pivotal time in history where the recent abundance of cases will produce some real progress.
Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 is the main federal law that prohibits sexual harassment. Sexual harassment is any uninvited and unwelcome verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature that creates a hostile or offensive working environment.
The harasser can be the victim’s supervisor, manager, co-worker or even a non-employee under certain situations. Sexual harassment is a gender-neutral offense and harassers can be male or female, however most claims are brought by women.
Employers have a responsibility to maintain a workplace that is free of sexual harassment. This is not only a legal requirement, but it also makes good business sense. A workplace that struggles with a hostile environment is at risk for expensive lawsuits and is prone to low employee morale, low productivity, and an overall toxic environment.
Most importantly, create a culture of professionalism. We must learn from the recent news of sexual harassment and not allow the sheer volume of claims to desensitize us to the importance of the message. If companies create and maintain workplaces that promote respect and value hard work, then there will be no place for crude jokes, unwanted advances, or offensive behaviors. No employee should ever have to face hostility at work.