ROBERT FRANK – PREVENTING WORKPLACE HARASSMENT
Scope of Course
Workplace harassment Inappropriate conduct Sexual harassment Molestation
What Will We Learn?
Recognition Illegal harassment vs. inappropriate conduct Prevention All types of harassment and inappropriate conduct Know it when you see it. Know what to do about it. Understand your role. Know how and when to react to it
What is Workplace Harassment?
Control that degrades or shows hostility or aversion toward an individual because of his or her preserved status, or that of his or her relatives, friends, or associates, and that: Has the purpose or effect of generating an intimidating, hostile, or unpleasant work/education environment; Has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with an individual’s work/academic performance; or Otherwise adversely affects an individual’s employment/education opportunity
Workplace Harassment
Must be subjectively and objectively offensive to a sensible physique Must be severe and pervasive Employee/student need not communicate an objection to demonstrate its unwelcomeness. Employee’s/student’s dismissal of or failure to respond positively may confirm unwelcomeness.
Why Is Harassment Prohibited?
Legal obligation College values, policies Reputation Morale Productivity
Why Does Harassment Occur?
Not about sex, religion, race, etc.
Abuse of power
Intimidation
Where Does Harassment Fit in?
Bullying may/may not be inapplicable conduct. Inappropriate behavior may rise to the level of prohibited conduct. Core concept: Recurring, persistent, unwelcome, intrusive, health-threatening presence of one person by another in work or work-related circumstances.
Levels of Sexual Harassment
Gender harassment Seductive behavior Sexual bribery Sexual coercion Sexual imposition
Nonverbal
Leering and ogling suggestively at a person Following a person or blocking their way Showing a sexually explicit picture, cartoon or other visual Making suggestive gestures or body movements Sending unwanted notes or other written material Giving unwanted personal gifts
Physical
Touching a person’s clothing or hair Massaging a person’s neck or shoulders Leaning over, standing too close to, or brushing up against a person; invading their space Kissing, caressing or pinching a person
Situations
A female assistant wears tight T-shirts, low cut jeans and jeans with revealing holes to work; some of her male peers make sexual remarks and jokes about her. A group of employees consisting of two women and four men has an on-site celebration at the end of the workday to celebrate a group member’s birthday. One of the men tells a joke with sexual overtones. Everyone laughs except one of the women, who is quite offended. When she says so, everyone tells her she is “too uptight” and she needs to “lighten up.”