What Should You Do When You Are Sexually Harassed At Work?
A significant percentage of employees are sexually harassed at work but only a tiny percentage of them ever do anything about it. It can be in any form and if you are uncomfortable with the way someone verbally or physically treats you, you should take action against it. This guide will provide you valuable tips on how to deal with sexual harassment in the workplace. The approach you should follow will depend on your situation.
- Address the Person Directly – The moment you realize that you are being sexually harassed at work, ask the person directly to stop it. If this does not deter them, tell them that you will file a complaint against them. In many cases, the offender will stop the behavior once they have been threatened of official complaint.
- Report a Complaint – Your first impulse will be to report the issue to your boss. But you should be cautious if you already have some pre-existing issues with your reporting manager or supervisor. It is even possible that your boss is close to the person harassing you. Standard company policy also doesn’t require you to report such incidences to your immediate boss.
You can go and talk to anyone who has the authority to take action. Your HR manager could be the ideal person in many cases. But if you have good relations with your boss and he is trustworthy, you can complain to him/her.
- Reporting to the HR Manager – If you have been sexually harassed at work, you must report to your human resources head without concern whether you have informed your immediate boss or not. Your HR manager could be the right person to guide you what action you could take against the perpetrator. You can also expect him/her to provide you impartial guidance.
- Witnesses & other Victims – There is a good chance that there may be other victims who have also been sexually harassed at work by the same offender. Chances are that others have also filed similar complaints against the harasser. It will also help if you have a witness. If you can secure their testimony, this can help you with your complaint.
- Report to Senior Management – If you have complained to your boss and HR manager and have not received satisfactory outcomes, you should contact the senior management. There are provisions in almost all organizations on how to file a complaint with the senior management. It will be best to provide all the evidences to the senior manager.
- Get Help from an Attorney – If you find that no satisfactory action has been taken against the person, you should consider your legal options. If your employer does not appear to be serious in listening, you should consult an attorney. There are specialized attorneys who deal with clients sexually harassed at work. They can provide you guidance with regard to the proper course of action you could take. This may also include legal action against the harasser.
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