Sexual Harassment in the Workplace

What is a Comfort Zones What to Say? click

Comfort Zones A Comfort zone can be described as a circle you draw around yourself inside which you only allow those behaviors with which you are comfortable.

Comfort Zones Offensive Possibly Offensive Almost Never Offensive “You really fill out that outfit.” “You look great in that outfit.” “What a beautiful necklace!” Degree of Offensiveness Action or Comments

How do you know if you are being harassed? menu

Harassment: Saying “No” In Writing If you decide to put your “no” in writing, your letter to the harasser should be dated, signed by you, and include the items listed in your handout. Menu

What is Harassment? What is it? Module1

What is Harassment? Harassment means bothering someone in an unwanted way. Harassment is behavior that is not only unwelcome, but in most cases repeated. Harassment is defined from the victim’s point of view, not the harasser’s.

What is Sexual Harassment? The goa l of harassment is gaining power over another. Harassment is against the law.

Federal Law Quid pro Quo Hostile Environment Sexual Favoritism Harassment by Non- Employees

Quid Pro Quo When a person suggests something will be given in return for sexual favors.

Hostile Environment Repeated unwelcome sexual conduct (jokes, posters, statements, behavior) has the effect of “poisoning” the employee’s work environment.

Sexual Favoritism A supervisor rewards only those employees who submit to sexual demands.

State Law California law defines sexual harassment as the following...

Visual Harassment Derogatory posters, cartoons, or drawings; unwanted love letters or notes.

Verbal Harassment Derogatory comments or slurs, suggestive or insulting sounds, comments about anatomy or clothes.

Physical Harassment Assault, impeding or blocking movement, or any physical interference with normal work or movement, when directed at an individual.

Sexual favors Unwanted sexual advances which make an employment benefit contingent upon an exchange of sexual favors.

Sexual Harassment Behavior Patterns *based upon California Law

Visual Harassment Written Visual

Verbal Harassment

Physical Harassment

Sexual Favors Menu

What is Sexual Harassment? What to do? Module3

What if it happens to you? Ways to handle sexual harassment

Let the harasser know the behavior is unwanted

Ways to handle sexual harassment Talk about it with someone. Keep a journal. Document in detail.

Ways to handle sexual harassment Find out if the harasser has harassed others. If the first meeting or letter does not stop harassment, report it.

Ways to handle sexual harassment If the harassment persists, file a written complaint. If company does not stop harassment, file a complaint

Sexual Harassment: Saying “No” In Writing If you decide to put your “no” in writing, your letter to the harasser should be dated, signed by you, and include the items listed in your handout. Menu

Ways to handle sexual harassment After filing with the proper agency get legal advice.

How Not to sexually harass: some guidelines Until you learn otherwise, assume that a person you don’t know will not enjoy off-color jokes or sexual advances at work. If a person tells you NO, then assume that NO means NO.

Do you treat others with respect? If you are unsure whether your workplace behavior is acceptable, ask yourself the questions from your worksheet Menu

Test Questions 1. Sexual Harassment is a problem in the workplace? 2. Males are not victims of sexual harassment in the workplace. 3. If a female dresses or behaves in a sexy way, she is asking to be sexually harassed 1. True or False True or False 2. True or False True or False 3. True or False True or False

Test Questions 4. Sexual harassment does not occur between people of the same sex. 5. Sexual harassment means bothering someone in a sexual way. 6. Quid Pro Quo involves granting an employment benefit in exchange for sexual favors or making sex a condition of one’s employment. 4. True or False True or False 5. True or False True or False 6. True or False True or False

Test Questions 7. Teasing and flirting are not big deal. They make work more fun. 8. Most females enjoy getting sexual attention at work. 9. Women/men who work in nontraditional jobs are more likely to be sexually harassed. 7. True or False True or False 8. True or False True or False 9. True or False True or False

Test Questions 10. Sexual harassment is behavior that is not only unwelcome, but in most cases repeated. 11. A “hostile environment” is one where conduct of a sexual nature is so repetitious that it unreasonably interferes with an employee’s work performance or creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive working environment. 10. True or False True or False 11. True or False True or False

Test Questions 12. If the recipient doesn't like the sexual attention, but the person acting or speaking means it only as flirting or joking, then it is not sexual harassment. 13. The goal of sexual harassment is not sexual pleasure, but gaining power over another. 12. True or False True or False 13. True or False True or False Men u

1.True: Studies show that 50-90% of working women have experienced sexual harassment. Test Answer Guide # 1 TEST

False: About 10-30% of men say they have been sexually harassed in the workplace. Test Answer Guide # 2 TEST

False: This is blaming the victim. Dressing or behaving in a sexually provocative way doesn’t cause sexual harassment, although it may increase the possibility that one may become a victim. On the other hand, NOT dressing or behaving in a sexually provocative way doesn't prevent harassment. Test Answer Guide # 3 TEST

4. False: Harassment can occur between males or between females. It is estimated that male-to-male sexual harassment accounts for 20% of all male sexual harassment complaints. Three percent of sexual harassment complaints by women involve female-to-female harassment. The law does not differentiate between opposite-sex harassment or same-sex harassment. Test Answer Guide # 4 TEST

Test Answer Guide # 5 True: Reinforce the common everyday definition given of sexual harassment. TEST

Test Answer Guide # 6 True: Reinforce the legal definition of Quid Pro Quo. Quid Pro Quo TEST

Test Answer Guide # 7 False: Reinforce the fact that sexual harassment is defined by the victim, not the harasser. What may be teasing to one person may be sexual harassment to another. It is wise to keep teasing and flirting out of the workplace setting. TEST

Test Answer Guide # 8 False: Most women are angry, annoyed, and embarrassed by sexual attention at work. They report feeling put down and negated when their sexuality is noticed instead of their character, skills or professional attributes. TEST

Test Answer Guide # 9 True: Women in nontraditional jobs tend to be victims of sexual harassment more often that women in traditional jobs. Possible reasons may be 1) power issues and 2) greater vulnerability because of minority status. It is also true that men in nontraditional jobs may experience more sexual harassment.

Test Answer Guide # 10 True: Again, reinforce the common definition. Definition TEST

Test Answer Guide # 11 True: Again reinforce the legal definition. Definition TEST

Test Answer Guide # 12 False: If a person perceives sexual attention as sexual harassment, then it is sexual harassment. Remember that the law is concerned with the IMPACT of the behavior, not the intent behind it. Sometimes the intent is genuinely innocent, and a behavior is misunderstood as harassment. In most of these cases, the behavior stops when the victim explains how he/she feels about it. TES T

Test Answer Guide # True: Reinforce the common definition of sexual harassment and the issue of power being the motive behind sexual harassment, rather that sexual pleasure. Menu

Internet Links SexualSexual Harassment Prevention Videos. SexualSexual Harassment Training Videos. SexualSexual harassment prevention and liability SexualSexual Harassment Issues. SexualSexual Harassment and the Law. SexualSexual Harassment in the Workplace. Menu Standards

Harassment by Non-Employees There is harassment by people outside the company, over whose actions the employer has control or could have control.