Workplace Harassment

Before we delve into the specifics, a few definitions are in order. According to the Bureau of Labor Management (2007), a hostile work environment is a form of harassment and is demonstrated by such severe and pervasive conduct that permeates the work environment and interferes with an employee’s ability to perform his or her job. Although legislation exists in more than 10 states, there currently is no federal or state law that explicitly or generally outlaws “bullying” at work or “hostile” work environments; instead, there are laws within Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967, and others, that prohibit discrimination and harassment in most workplaces (Saade, n.d.). To add to this, it is “unlawful to discriminate against any individual in regard to recruiting, hiring and promotion, transfer, work assignments,

Harassment has plagued the world for centuries. Why should the workplace be any different? Sexual harassment and workplace violence are not only of historical roots, but contemporary issues are still present in the workforce today. Managers are addressing and combating modern sexual harassment and workplace violence, however instances still occur (Robbins, Decenzo & Coulter, 2011).

Chris Pontus states that Lateral violence, bullying and workplace harassment often are one and the same. Defining the different aspects of lateral violence Pontus explains that there are three categories which make up lateral violence: harassment, discrimination and bullying. Harassment is a form of unwelcome conduct ranging from unwanted comments to physical violence (Pontus, 2011). Discrimination includes a person being treated inversely and less favorably based on gender, race, sexual orientation or capability. Finally, workplace bullying is categorized as many events of unwarrantable actions of an individual or group geared to a person or group over a long period. To expand, Pontus explains that bullying behaviors are persistent, offensive,

Bullying and harassment within the workplace can be attributed to a myriad of factors. The work

* Bullying and harassment – sets out how it is dealt with for the staff being bullied or bullying others

Harassment, specifically sexual harassment, is one of those challenges faced by businesses and employers as of a result of workplace diversification. Inappropriate conversations, unwanted advances and uncomfortable physical contact are some of the ways sexual harassment can occur. According to Hellriegel and Slocum, “Sexual harassment refers to unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature.” (p.52). To be clear, sexual harassment can, and has, affected both women and men over the years however up to half of all working women have reported experiencing some form of sexual harassment in the career (Vijayasiri, 2008, p.1). It wasn’t until 1986 though that the Supreme Court recognized sexual harassment as a violation of Title VII in the case of Meritor Savings Bank v. Vinson (O’Brien, 1994, p. 1). Before the high court’s ruling, however, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission had begun to address the issue by drafting hostile work environment guidelines that included sexual harassment (O’Brien, 1994, p. 4). These guidelines would serve later to guide the high court’s decision. There are many more cases like this one we could look at. In 1991, sexual harassment became a household term as Anita Hill testified before congress stating she was sexually

Sexual harassment is a demeaning practice, one that constitutes a profound affront to the dignity of the employees forced to endure it.  By requiring an employee to contend with unwelcome sexual actions or explicit sexual demands, sexual harassment in the workplace attacks the dignity and self-respect of the victim both as an employee and as a human being. Sexual harassment is well defined as an unwelcome sexual request for sexual favors and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature. In many countries, sexual harassment is considered a form of sexual abuse and employment discrimination. Sexual harassment is most prevalent is organizations both professional and academic, though it can occur almost anywhere.

This means that any bullying or harassment by managers needs to be avoided and detected early. Managers should know and should be trained not to bully or encourage bullying or harassment in the workplace. Furthermore, managers should be on the lookout for this behavior at all times. When a worker feels as if he or she is being bullied or harassed, especially by a manager or supervisor, their work, motivation, and productivity will be reduced. Employees may still show up to work each day, but they won't feel as motivated or empowered to do such a good job as

Workplace bullying/ non- sexual harassment needs to be addressed in the same manner that sexual harassment would be dealt with. Sexual harassment needs to be reported to the human resources office, and if the issue is not properly handled or it’s dismissed, a harassment claim needs to be filed with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).

Consequently in sexual harassment there is always has to be a victim. When it happens at school, it is typically a teacher harassing a student. In the workplace environment, the person with authority usually the one who harassed employee. Generally, women are the victim of this horrendous crime because in a workplace harassment can be sign of control and authority by the harasser that

In our society sexual harassment has been in the workplace for years. The use of sexual harassment in the workplace has been remembered best as a weapon used to keep women in their place which would cause them to forfeit promotions within their organizations. It was once believed that women were the only victims but the shift is now changing men are also reporting that they are also victims of sexual harassment on the job. In 1964 the Civil Rights Act was passed and employers began to recognize that they were liable for two types of sexual harassment. The first kind of harassment is Quid pro quo when a supervisor offers the employee sexual advances in order to get or keep a job, and also this harassment is used to determined if an

Heeman, V. (2007). Workplace Bullying: A Distinct, Interpersonal, and Communicative Phenomenon. Paper presented at the meeting of the National Communication Association.

Additionally, if the abuse is not reported, the employer may not be liable for the harassment. Anyone can be a victim. In most cases, women are the victims. Men, lesbians, and gays are victims as well. It doesn’t matter the sex. Many victims are ashamed or feel that they will be retaliated against to come forward to report sexual harassment against them. Fear of embarrassment and humiliation can also prevent a victim from coming forward. A common reaction from a victim is to suppress their feelings and ignore the abuse.

Student Answer: One major ethical issue we have dealt with in my workplace in harassing behavior from one employee and another. As a leader of the organization I would and did handle the situation by first and foremost having a zero tolerance policy in place that type of behavior. We were able to reference the policy to take action towards that employee which ultimately led to their termination. I do however think that preventative measures could have taken place to further prevent this unethical behavior and that would be to instill the values of the organization and its leaders to the community of staff who choose to be a part of the organization. Dr. Atkinson stated, “In order to prevent bullying and harassment at work, the antecedents and the culture of an organization need to be understood”, and her work won `the inaugural Denis D 'Auria prize, a prize inaugurated by Cardiff University in memory of the college’s senior lecturer in toxicology and occupational medicine, who passed away at

Another form of sexual harassment is a hostile work environment. The hostile environment theory involves sexual advances between the supervisor and the employee. An employee’s work performance will be less effective due to these so-called sexual advances. However, a victim can file a complaint against their harasser so that they do not continuously force them to participate. Consequently, they will be forced to hand in their resignation. [This is an issue of power and has nothing to do with sex. For this reason, both male and females can be the harasser. The harasser’s main purpose is to force another to feel or act in a certain way. Sometimes, sexual harassment causes an individual from effectively performing his/her job. As a result, is undermines an individual’s dignity. In our society, there are three essential factors that relate to the issue of sexual advances. These elements are a divergence of perceptions, the complexity of human behavior and the attitudes of a sexist.]