Workplace Sexual Harassment Awareness

About This Course

Course Objectives

Introduction to Sexual Harassment in the Workplace

• Key Terms
• Legality
• Responsibilities

Overview of Sexual Harassment in the Workplace

• Targets of Sexual Harassment
• Statistics
• Types of Sexual Harassment
• Verbal Sexual Harassment
• Non-Verbal Sexual Harassment
• Physical Sexual Harassment
• Harassment Applied in the Workplace
• Quid Pro Quo
• Hostile Environment
• Distinguishing Quid Pro Quo and Hostile Environment

Responding to Sexual Harassment

• Role of the Victim
• Protecting Yourself
• Filing a Charge with the EEOC
• Filing in Person
• Filing by Telephone or Mail
• Mediation and Possible Dismissal
• Investigation
• Freedom from Retaliation
• Confidentiality
• Role of the Workplace
• Liability
• Remedies for Employment Discrimination
• Mediation
• Corrective Measures

Impact of Sexual Harassment in the Workplace

• Effects of Sexual Harassment on the Victim
• Coping with Sexual Harassment in the Workplace
• Effects of Sexual Harassment on the Workplace
• Costs to the Organization

Prevention of Sexual Harassment in the Workplace

• Sexual Harassment Prevention Overview
• Creating a Sexual Harassment Policy
• Sample Sexual Harassment Policy
• Training and Awareness
• Human Resources’ Role
• Management’s Role
• Employee Involvement

Summary

Additional Resources

Exam

Because sexual harassment can occur at any workplace, all employers should make it a priority to provide safety training for their employees. All members of an organization’s workforce should participate in sexual harassment at work online training, including employees, managers, supervisors, contract workers, and volunteers. Online training should be part of a comprehensive approach to reducing the risk of workplace harassment.

There is no specific timeframe set by OSHA or the EEOC for retraining or recertification in sexual harassment courses. However, leaders and experts in the field of workplace sexual harassment advise that recertification be required annually through in-person or online certification courses.

While sexual harassment is not explicitly governed by OSHA regulations, Section 5 (a)(1) of the OSH Act requires that all employers provide a workplace “free from recognized hazards that are causing or likely to cause death or serious physical harm” to their employees. This OSHA provision is applicable to sexual harassment when such incidents create an unsafe working environment or causes the victim harmful levels of stress.

Workplace sexual harassment is prohibited by Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits employment discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. The EEOC considers sexual harassment to be a form of gender discrimination, and harassment claims may be filed directly through the EEOC.

Many states and local governments have their own discrimination and harassment laws and agencies that handle claims independent of the EEOC. These are referred to as Fair Employment Practices Agencies (FEPAs). In some cases, FEPAs enforce laws offering more protection to workers, such as protection from discrimination because an employee is married or single, has children, or because of sexual orientation. There also may be different deadlines for filing a charge, different standards for determining whether you are protected by these laws, and different types of relief available to victims of harassment.