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HARASSMENT IN THE WORKPLACE

HARASSMENT IN THE WORKPLACE. ZERO TOLERANCE. The state of North Dakota has adopted a zero tolerance policy for harassment in a state work place. Federal and state laws also make harassment illegal.

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HARASSMENT IN THE WORKPLACE

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  1. HARASSMENT IN THE WORKPLACE

  2. ZERO TOLERANCE The state of North Dakota has adopted a zero tolerance policy for harassment in a state work place. Federal and state laws also make harassment illegal.

  3. By law harassment is defined as verbal, non verbal, or physical conduct that denigrates, belittles or puts down an individual or shows hostility, distaste or aversion toward that person based on their: Race Color National Origin Religion Sex Disability Age DEFINITION OF HARASSMENT

  4. FORMS OF HARASSMENT Harassment can take several forms in the workplace, including • Verbal • Nonverbal • Physical

  5. VERBAL HARASSMENT Can include such things as: • Referring to someone’s race, religion, sex, or other characteristic protected by law in negative, vulgar, or derogatory terms • Put-down jokes or stories • Making comments that include statements about inappropriate stereotypical ideas, attributes, or characteristics of others

  6. EXAMPLES OF VERBAL HARASSMENT • “If you have trouble with those spreadsheet functions, go find Kim Sung; those Koreans are whizzes at that stuff.” • “Christians are all narrow minded bigots who think everyone else is evil.” • “All of you people have such good natural rhythm and musical abilities.” • “I’m sure she’s got lots of money … after all, she’s a Jew, isn’t she?” • “If an Indian comes in, make sure they pay cash.” • “Jane can take notes for us here; women are so much better at that than we men are.” • “Let’s give that project to Monte; he’ll catch on faster than one of our older technicians.” • “Muslims? Ha! Those rag heads are all anti-American!” • “No, Bennie’s not a good candidate. He’s crippled…other people will have to do all his work.”

  7. NONVERBAL HARASSMENT Can include such things as: • Written or graphically derogatory material about those characteristics • Unwelcome, offensive, or hostile facial expressions, or hand/body gestures • Having and/or sending inappropriate screensavers, wallpaper, or email • Sexually oriented graphics, pictures, calendars (scantily clad, etc.)

  8. PHYSICAL HARASSMENT Can include such things as: • Threatening or intimidating acts • Blocking a person’s path with intent to intimidate or threaten • Pushing, shoving, or purposely bumping into a person • Uninvited touching, caressing, or fondling

  9. HOSTILE ENVIRONMENT • Unwelcome and demeaning behavior that creates an intimidating, hostile, or offensive work environment • Subtle • One incident or several • Intent of harasser is irrelevant • Based on perception or impact of harassed person

  10. OBSESSIVE BEHAVIOR Harassment can include: • unwanted phone calls, • e-mails, • gifts, • and visits to your home

  11. IS IT HARASSMENT? • Ask yourself the following: - Was the innuendo offensive to you? - Was the behavior unwelcome? - Did the behavior make you feel uncomfortable? - Have sexual favors been demanded, requested, or suggested?

  12. WHY SOME PEOPLE HARASS • Uncertainty or fear of the group that the person represents • Believing stereotypes of certain groups, because of not having been around them, or based on a few negative experiences with one member of that group • Learned from role models in early years of life • Jealousy of certain groups

  13. HOW VICTIMS COPE • SELF COPING MECHANISMS: - denial - blaming ones self - joking - avoidance - confrontation

  14. WHY PEOPLE KEEP QUIET • Embarrassment or humiliation • Fear of retaliation • Afraid they won’t be taken seriously • Don’t want to make waves • Hope it just goes away • Don’t want to get the harasser in trouble • Wonder if it was their fault • Self doubt: “Maybe I should be flattered” • Worry that they’ll be called a troublemaker

  15. THE COSTS OF HARASSMENT There are definite identifiable costs when harassment happens to someone and is not firmly addressed and resolved. These costs can be: • Emotional/psychological • Physical stressors • Economic

  16. EMOTIONAL/PSYCHOLOGICAL COSTS • Shame • Fear • Feeling Powerless • Guilt • Anger/rage • Problems at home • Isolation • Depression • Withdrawing from friends/co-workers

  17. PHYSICAL/STRESS COSTS • Nausea • Headaches • Low back pain • Stomach aches • Rage/anger • Sleeplessness or sleeping too much • Accident prone • Increase in drug/alcohol use/abuse

  18. ECONOMIC COSTS • Reduced productivity/concentration • Change in performance reviews • Lowered expectations of personal goals • Fired or forced to quit, leading to: • Loss of salary • Loss of fringe benefits • Temporary or permanent lowered economic security • Loss of mobility

  19. COSTS TO THE ORGANIZATION • Emotional • Lowered Morale • Confusion and Embarrassment • Lack of Trust • Physical • Increased sick leave/absenteeism • Increased likelihood of accidents, due to distractions • Economic • Increased health insurance premiums • Legal expenses • Bad public image

  20. STEPS TO PREVENTION • Think before you speak • Be careful with humor in the workplace • Conduct yourself professionally at all times • Ask yourself if the behavior you’re displaying is what you would want your spouse, children or parents to witness • Don’t allow peer pressure to inappropriately influence you • Be prepared to assert your rights

  21. STEPS TO PREVENTION • Be familiar with your agency’s policies and procedures concerning harassment • Determine how you would respond to harassment • Contact your supervisor, or your agency’s Human Resource department, if you have concerns or questions about possible harassment • ND Human Resource Management Services is another contact for information regarding harassment prevention.

  22. ESTABLISHING CLEAR BOUNDARIES • Let people know your boundaries • Communicate your expectations for interaction • Be consistent in your expectations • Set a model for yourself • Communicate any discomfort early on • Seek assistance if the harassing behavior is persistent or pervasive

  23. WHAT TO DO IF YOU THINK YOU ARE BEING HARASSED • REPORT THE INCIDENT to the individual’s supervisor, • Tell the harasser to stop, • Maintain a log of the incidents, and • Utilize the Employee Assistance Program.

  24. SEXUAL HARASSMENT A very common and well-known type of harassment is sexual harassment.

  25. SEXUAL HARASSMENT • Sexual harassment is a form of discrimination that involves unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature,WHEN: • Submission to such conduct is made either explicitly or implicitly a term or condition of a person’s job, pay, career, OR:

  26. SEXUAL HARASSMENT • Submission to or rejection of such conduct is used as a basis for career or employment decision OR: • Such conduct has the purpose or effect of interfering with an individual’s work performance, or creates an Intimidating,Hostile, or Offensive work environment

  27. TYPES OF SEXUAL HARASSMENT • Quid Pro Quo - Latin meaning: “This For That” • Hostile Environment

  28. QUID PRO QUO • This For That • When submitting to or rejecting sexual advances or requests becomes a condition upon which a person’s job, career, or upcoming promotion depends

  29. SEXUAL/HOSTILE ENVIRONMENT • Unwelcome and demeaning sexually related behavior that creates an intimidating, hostile, or offensive work environment • Subtle • One incident or several • Intent of harasser is irrelevant • Based on perception or impact of harassed person

  30. EXAMPLES OF SEXUAL HARASSMENT • VERBAL - profanity, off colored jokes - sexual comments, threats - whistling, barking, grunts, growling - passing rumors of sexual acts or involvement

  31. EXAMPLES OF SEXUAL HARASSMENT • PHYSICAL - leering, elevator eyes, winking - licking lips, displaying/giving sexually suggestive pictures or cartoons - stroking, grabbing, patting, hugging, pinching, provocatively posing - cornering or blocking passageway - clothing adjustments, back rubs

  32. There is no guaranteed way to eliminate or prevent harassment in the workplace. All the laws in the country won’t keep some people from behaving disrespectfully towards people who are different from them. But we can minimize the likelihood of harassment, if we all: • Prevent harassment whenever possible • Respond to it quickly, decisively, and fairly • Learn to recognize harassment, and remember that • Preventing harassment is everyone’sresponsibility Know where to find your policy and who it tells you to report harassing behavior to. RECOGNIZE, RESPOND, PREVENT!

  33. Developed by: Lee Lundberg, PHR, and Linda Jensen Human Resource Management Services, In cooperation with Risk Management For additional information or to learn of general or agency-specific training in this as well as other areas, please contact Human Resource Management Services, 328-3290

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