Sexual harassment at work can happen in many ways. A coworker may make unwelcome comments about someone’s looks, an employer may suggest a promotion for sexual favors or an employee may be inappropriately touched. When an employee experiences sexual harassment at work, they can report the incident.
A sexual harassment report can protect an employee from further harassment and hold the harasser accountable for their actions. Employees can learn more about what happens when they report sexual harassment by reading the following:
Investigating the incident
After a sexual harassment report is made, the employer or HR is responsible for protecting their employee by reviewing and investigating the complaint. The harassed employee may be asked several questions during the investigation process. This can help the employer or HR further investigate the incident.
The employer or HR may want to know what happened, when it happened and who was involved. It can help the investigation to provide names of anyone who may have witnessed the harassment. Text or email correspondence from the harasser can help with the investigation.
Any information given to the employer or HR should be kept confidential. This protects the employee from facing repercussions or further harassment from the harasser.
Corrective measures
Once the investigation concludes, the employer or HR should determine if the harassment violated company policies or laws. If so, they should take immediate corrective measures to protect the harassed employee.
If an employer or HR does not take action to protect an employee, professional legal guidance may be necessary. Legal guidance can help protect an employee and hold a harasser and company liable.