Anti-Harassment Policies

When people hear the word harassment, they usually think of sexual harassment. But sexual harassment is only one type of harassment, and it — along with all other forms of harassment — should not be allowed in your workplace.

Antidiscrimination laws. If you have 15 or more employees, you are subject to federal antidiscrimination laws, which means you have a legal obligation to provide a work environment that is free from intimidation, insult, or ridicule based on race, color, religion, gender, or national origin.

Even if you have fewer than 15 employees, you must also be concerned with preventing harassment because you can sometimes be sued in state courts, depending on your state's harassment laws.

Employer liability. As an employer, you may be held liable for your own acts of harassment that affect employees in the workplace, as well as the acts of your managers, employees, and even harassment by customers, suppliers, and others who regularly do business with you.

In preventing harassment and dealing with it, be sure you understand:

• what harassment is
• what sexual harassment is
• how to prevent or handle a harassment complaint
• how to establish a complaint procedure
• how to develop a harassment policy
• whether your state has an anti-harassment law