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December 2020
Is Your Organization Prepared to Address Complaints of Sexual Harassment?
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Noteworthy Notes
In 2019, the EEOC secured 486 million dollars from offending organizations for workers alleging discrimination and harassment.
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90% of employees who experience harassment never file a complaint; 75% never complain to fellow employees*.
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60% of women say they experience “unwanted sexual attention, sexual coercion, sexually crude conduct, or sexist comments” in the workplace*.
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*Source: 2016 EEOC Select Task Force on the Study of Harassment in the Workplace
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Historically, reporting harassment in the workplace has been unpopular. It often leads to harsher consequences for the person experiencing the offense than the offender. In recent years, however, we have seen high-profile harassment cases in the entertainment arena, prompting grassroots movements such as #MeToo. More and more, victims are finding encouragement and receiving praise for their bravery when reporting these types of experiences or filing complaints.
Employees serving in leadership positions at the VA must ensure their staff are protected at all times. It is critical to create and maintain open communication channels and safe working environments regardless of team size. Both employees and managers should take action and notify the appropriate authorities or local EEO Manager if they witness harassment in the workplace. As always, VA has a zero-tolerance policy on sexual harassment. For more information on preventing and handling harassment at the VA, click here.
The ORMDI Deputy Assistant Secretary (DAS), Harvey Johnson, is encouraging all VA leaders to read this article from Inc. 500, an industry leader in all business spheres. It outlines a five-step plan to help employees, specifically managers, tackle this difficult issue. Together we will continue to make VA the leader in eliminating harassment in the workplace.
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"Whatever you want to do, do it now. There are only so many tomorrows." - Michael Landon, Actor |
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Office of Resolution Management Diversity & Inclusion (ORMDI)
1575 I Street NW Washington DC 20005 202-461-4064 / www.va.gov/ormdi
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