Singleton Associates, LLC is a group of award-winning George Washington University professors widely regarded for their technical expertise and strong communications skills. Our experts in sexual harassment will work with you to develop a training program to meet your needs.

Singleton Associates can deliver this course for you in an exciting, thought-provoking way that will provide your employees with the information they need to protect the company and themselves. CONTACT US for details.

Definitions:

Sexual Harassment: Illegal form of gender discrimination that violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Two theories:
quid pro quo - harassment that occurs when sexual activity is required in return for getting or keeping a job or job-related benefit
hostile environment - harassment that occurs when the behavior of anyone in the work setting is sexual in nature and is perceived by an employee as offensive and undesirable

What The Courts Say: To sustain a finding of hostile environment, it is generally required that harassment:
be unwelcome by plaintiff
be based on gender
be sufficiently severe or pervasive to create an abusive working environment
affected a term, condition or privilege of employment

EEOC Guidelines

The EEOC guidelines on sexual harassment are specific and state that unwelcome advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature constitute sexual harassment when submission to the conduct is tied to continuing employment or advancement. The conduct is also illegal when it interferes with an employee's work performance or creates an intimidating, hostile, or offensive working environment.

Company Liability

Experts suggest that the EEOC and the courts will ask two basic questions when determining whether or not a company is liable for sexual harassment.

1. Did the company know or should it have known that harassment was taking place?

2. Did the company take any action to stop the harassment?

Note: a hostile environment can be created by supervisors OR by coworkers or nonemployees.

What Should The Employer Do?

Take all complaints about harassment seriously
Issue a strong policy statement condemning such behavior
Inform employees about the policy
Develop a complaint procedure
Establish a management response system
Train supervisors and all employees
Discipline managers and employees
Keep thorough records
Conduct exit interviews to uncover complaints
Periodically republish harassment policy

What Should The Supervisor Do?

Take all employee complaints seriously
Investigate thoroughly
Follow organization complaint procedure
Use established response system
Make sure all employees and supervisors are trained
Discipline managers and employees using established policy
Keep thorough records
Encourage upward communication

What Should An Employee Do?

File a verbal complaint or protest with harasser and harasser's boss
Write a letter to the accused
File report with appropriate unit within organization
Use stated procedure to grieve about harassment

Dealing With Different Circumstances

Harassment from a non-employee
Harassment from a supervisor
Harassment from a co-worker
Harassment from a subordinate
Same-sex harassment

| Custom Seminars |

We develop Custom Seminars for many of the world’s leading organizations.
The Accounting Treasure Hunt was designed with customization in mind, and has been delivered to many of the world’s leading organizations. Let us develop a Custom Accounting Treasure Hunt seminar for you.

We can deliver our outstanding off-the-shelf program or incorporate your financial statements, transactions, and operating procedures to develop an Accounting Treasure Hunt for your organization, and deliver it anywhere in the world. We offer competitive pricing for all of our seminars, and discounts for multiple deliveries.

Let us develop an Accounting Treasure Hunt Custom Seminar for you! Contact Us for more information or learn more in our new eight-page brochure. (Adobe Acrobat format, 196kb)

| back to top |