As the ongoing media storm surrounding allegations of widespread sexual misconduct in and around Hollywood (and elsewhere) confirms, claims of workplace harassment persist across every industry and sector. The current intense public focus on this problem provides a timely opportunity to revisit and reaffirm the compelling business case for proactive harassment prevention in the workplace – not only as a means of minimizing the risk of discrimination charges and lawsuits, but also to avoid unwanted attention in the court of public opinion.
In addition to increasing the risk of legal liability and reputational damage, inattention to workplace harassment issues can have a significant impact on workplace productivity and organizational culture – costing American businesses millions annually in lost productivity, absenteeism and turnover, as well as in increased medical costs.
To help employers stay ahead of these issues, NT Lakis attorneys have prepared a Harassment Prevention Primer, which analyzes suspected “risk factors” for workplace harassment – a number of which feature prominently in many of the high-profile scandals currently in the news – and offers some practical strategies and tips for preventing harassing behavior and responding appropriately when such misconduct does occur.
Please note that the primer is designed to be informational only, and is not intended to convey legal advice. For questions about specific situations, please confer with legal counsel.
Members of the Center for Workplace Compliance (CWC) can read more here.