Dive Brief:
- The owner of two New York housing development and property management companies violated Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 when he subjected female employees to a sexually hostile work environment, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has charged in a lawsuit.
- The owner subjected female employees to crude sexual comments, "obscene sexist epithets," pornography on a cellphone and unwelcome physical contact despite repeated objections by the women, EEOC said. Several women resigned in order to escape the harassment, the federal agency said.
- EEOC asked for back pay, compensatory and punitive damages and injunctive relief.
Dive Insight:
Other New York employers have recently gotten into similar hot water with the EEOC. Earlier this year, HELP USA Inc. paid $150,000 to settle a lawsuit by the EEOC alleging that the housing support services provider violated Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 by allowing the sexual harassment of female employees. A supervisor at the company's Bronx office routinely subjected women to verbal abuse, unwelcome sexual advances and sexually offensive statements, and also overlooked repeated complaints about the conduct, the EEOC said.
It's important not to excuse or ignore a supervisor's inappropriate comments. Additionally, employees should be encouraged to come forward with complaints rather than discouraged from bringing them. Jonathan Segal, a partner and managing principal at Duane Morris, has suggested that employees be thanked for coming forward. Employees should also be assured that their concerns will be taken seriously and told what the complaint follow-up process entails.
Regular training for managers, supervisors and employees is essential. Employers should conduct harassment training at least once a year, with separate sessions for managers and employees, according to Robin Shea of Constangy Brooks, Smith & Prophete. Yearly training gives employees a sense of what to expect, and company leaders will understand the standards to which they and their employees will be held.
To further aid employers in handling harassment claims, the EEOC has released a list of five "promising practices" for preventing harassment. According to the EEOC, the following can be effective in preventing and addressing harassment:
- Committed, engaged leadership.
- Consistent and demonstrated accountability.
- Strong, comprehensive harassment policies.
- Trusted, accessible complaint procedures.
- Regular, interactive training tailored to the audience and the organization.
Finally, it's important to remember that sexual harassment training for supervisors and others is mandatory in some locales.