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Employers should be aware of sexual harassment and its aftermath

| Oct 5, 2018 | Employment Law for Employers |

The number of complaints about sexual harassment in the workplace has skyrocketed in recent months due to stories in the news and protest movements regarding its prevalence. In New York, New Jersey and throughout the Tri-State area, employers must be cognizant and quick to respond to these allegations as they can severely hamper a business’s bottom line and its reputation. For those employers, a law firm that understands both sides of the equation can provide that defense.

A recent survey shows that there are still assertions by 57 percent of men and women who took part claim that sexual harassment is still problematic and the protests are not putting a stop to it. 63 percent said that how often it happens has not been impacted by greater attention to the issue. There was little disparity between the frequency with which men and women claim to have been sexually harassed and whether it has changed since these popular movements to draw attention to the issue grew larger.

In New Jersey, one survey said that 37 percent of women and 10 percent of men stated they had been sexually harassed. Another poll said that 35 percent of women and 9 percent of men in the U.S. had been harassed at work in some way. However, for people of color and millennials, the numbers are improving. It was around one-third of people of color who were harassed and 28 percent of millennials. The level of comfort in reporting harassment is rising and is at around 84 percent. 70 percent stated their employers acted to stop harassing behaviors.

It is obvious that sexual harassment is an issue in the Tri-State area. However, that does not automatically indicate that employers have not taken the necessary steps to stop the behavior or that it reached the level of severity to warrant a lawsuit. Employment law provides the employer the right to lodge a defense against these allegations. Having legal assistance from a law firm that is experienced in employment law for employers can help with compliance and defending against allegations of harassment.