NAME OF THE ARTICLE: Sexual Harassment in Today’s Workplace.
AUTHOR: Arthur H. Kohn, Francesca L. Odell, and Jennifer Kennedy Park, Cleary Gottlieb Steen and Hamilton LLP.
Use your promo and get a custom paper on
"Sexual Harassment in Today’s Workplace".
PUBLICATION: Harvard Law School Forum on Corporate Governance and Financial Regulation on March 19, 2018.
SITUATION: Sexual harassment allegations have increased in different industries. Many companies have accepted that their sexual harassment allegations and discrimination policies are inadequate. Companies are considering to improve the policies to deter the behavior and respond to allegations appropriately. The enhanced policies are meant to foster diversity and inclusion among employees. There are 8 questions companies should answer when they are developing sexual harassment policies.
DISCUSSION: Companies should consider a broad and global perspective when they are developing policies and procedures. The policies should involve discrimination, bullying, nepotism, code of conduct and sensitivity in the workplace. The employees should trust the procedure for reporting sexual harassment cases. There is need to have a specific office or person who will receive sexual harassment allegations. The person should be equipped with resources and skills to handle the allegations. Additionally, there should be a specific person involved in investigating sexual harassment allegations. The person should be independent and should be equipped with necessary resources. The policies should include a disclosure obligation to ensure employees and employers respect the new policies. The senior management should adopt a code of conduct, which indicates that any kind of harassment will be dealt with severely. Further, the sexual harassment policies should address cases of misconduct in subsidiary companies or portfolio companies.
CONCLUSION: Sexual harassment allegations have increased in various companies including technology and finance. Companies are making appropriate policies to reduce the risk of harassment and responding to cases of harassment. It is essential to ask various questions in the process of developing the appropriate policies.
- Sexual Harassment in Today’s Workplace. (2018). Corpgov.law.harvard.edu. Retrieved 20 March 2018, from https://corpgov.law.harvard.edu/2018/03/07/sexual-harassment-in-todays-workplace/.
