Sexual Harassment at work?
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.
