People in New York have many different types of jobs. At these various jobs they have different responsibilities that they must perform while at work. They may be in entry level positions, mid-level or upper management positions within the various companies that people work at. While people work in different types of jobs and have different responsibilities, they all expect that they will be able to go to work each day and simply focus on doing their job.
They also expect that they will be treated the same as their fellow co-workers and not be harassed while at work. It is important that these expectations are met, but unfortunately this is not always the situation. If this occurs not only will employers have unhappy workers, but employers may also face lawsuits from the victims of harassment. Employers have a duty to ensure that harassment does not occur and if it does occur that it is handled quickly and appropriately.
Elements of a good harassment policy
A good way for employers to help prevent harassment and resolve circumstances of harassment when they do occur is to have a well-written harassment policy.
The policy needs to clearly state the type of harassing activity that is prohibited and what is considered harassment. It should state the process for making a complaint and state how it will be investigated. The policy should indicate the identity of those who make complaints will remain confidential as much as possible and that there will be no retaliation against employees who make complaints of harassment. Finally, it should make it clear the employer will take quick and appropriate corrective actions when harassment occurs.
Employers in New York who have well-written harassment policies will not be able to prevent all harassment from occurring. However, the policies will make it clear that they take harassment seriously and create an environment where employees know that if harassment occurs, it will be corrected by their employer. These policies also make sure that complaints do not fall through the cracks, are investigated quickly and resolved correctly. Experienced attorneys understand the importance of polices and may be a useful resource.