Once again, sexual harassment is top of mind as the confirmation hearings for Brett Kavanaugh continue.  The allegations asserted against Judge Kavanaugh are from incidents that the women allege occurred 10 or more years ago.

Statistics show that the vast majority of sexual harassment occurrences remain unreported, even during the current #MeToo movement.  Given the tendency for sexual harassment claims to be unreported, how should employers make sure their company is protected from liability arising from sexual harassment claims?  Proactive actions such as an employee handbook with detailed instructions on how to report concerns and in-person sexual harassment trainings for all employees at every level can help protect the company from future claims of sexual harassment.

Employers must make sure that their employees know that sexual harassment will not be tolerated and also, through written policies and trainings, remind the employees that sexual harassment claims should be immediately reported.  Given the current climate, it is essential for employers to make sure their handbooks, policies and procedures related to sexual harassment reporting are current and that their employees are fully aware of those policies and procedures.

If you have any questions on this topic, contact an attorney here.

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