Recently there have been a string of harassment claims in big and/or established companies such as Uber, Google, and Tesla. A claim of harassment is of course just that – a claim – and we are not intending to disparage these companies or their employees. However, the question is: If the “big companies” aren’t able to handle reports of harassment correctly, is there hope for smaller companies throughout the U.S.?

Yes! There is hope and we feel confident that employers can provide a welcoming environment for all of your employees that also promotes success for your company.

The harassment claims referenced above and how they were handled bring to the forefront the importance of the following.

• Ensure your organization’s policies prohibiting harassment (and discrimination) and outlining reporting procedures have been developed and effectively communicated to employees.
• Employees and managers must be trained on what actions constitute harassment, how to spot these actions, and what steps to take once a complaint is made.
• Lastly, and possibly most importantly, your organization’s practices must support an environment where employees are comfortable making a claim of harassment if it were to occur and where such behavior is stopped immediately.

In the event you receive a complaint of harassment, you must ensure the complaint is handled promptly and properly, as we describe in our posting Handling Harassment and Discrimination Complaints.

Managers must ensure they are providing a work environment free from the distraction and disruption of abusive or offensive behavior. We encourage you to contact our office if you would like assistance developing policies prohibiting discrimination and/or harassment, training employees on these policies and reporting procedures, or if you are in need of an impartial third-party to conduct an investigation.