Events of the past several years-from the controversial Anita
Hill testimony to the recent Paula Jones lawsuit--have focused
national attention on the issue of sexual harassment in the workplace.
Surveys suggest this continues to be a widespread problem; and
the costs associated with litigation, damaged reputations, employee
turnover and reduced productivity are staggering. In this customized
three-hour workshop, a blueprint for awareness and change is
developed, with special emphasis on the initiatives organizations
must have in place to be in full compliance with current EEOC
guidelines.
Main Topics
Background issues
· What are the changing demographics of the workforce?
· How widespread is sexual harassment in the workplace?
· What is the cost of sexual harassment to business and
industry?
Behavioral guidelines
· What constitutes quid pro quo sexual harassment?
· What is a "hostile and offensive work environment?"
· What behaviors--both subtle and overt--constitute sexual
harassment?
Legal precedents
· What are the latest and most significant legal precedents?
· What are the current challenges and issues before the
courts?
· What is the impact of the 1991 Civil Rights Act and
suggested 1993 EEOC guidelines on sexual discrimination/harassment
issues?
Differing views of men and women
· Do men and women view behaviors differently?
· Is there a simple litmus test for judging what's acceptable
and what's not?
A plan for organizational action
· What policies, practices, and procedures need to be
initiated?
· How can top management communicate and support the message?
· What does every employee need to know?
· What special skills do managers need?
· Which educational programs work best?
The workshop will consist of lecture with audio-visual support,
group discussion, and small-group problem solving. The focus
of the workshop will be on active participant involvement, wherein
each group member gains insight about his/her attitudes and behaviors,
as well as the attitudes and behaviors of others. Each attendee
will develop a personal action plan for increased awareness and
change.
PARTICIPANTS WILL BE ABLE TO
· Recognize the differences between friendly behavior
and sexually harassing behavior
· Discuss current laws and policies that govern sexual
harassment
· Resolve sexual harassment issues in timely and proactive
ways
· More effectively handle future sexual harassment situations.
BENEFITS TO YOUR ORGANIZATION
· Reduce legal and financial liability
· Comply with EEOC, Title VII, and 1991 Civil Rights Law
requirements
· Increase awareness and sensitivity about sexual harassment
issues
· Improve employee morale and productivity
· Demonstrate concern for all employees.
MANAGERS AND SUPERVISORY PERSONNEL WILL LEARN
· The various types of sexual harassment that can occur
· What constitutes a "hostile and offensive work
environment"
· The legal definitions and current federal guidelines
· Legal precedents governing employer responsibility and
liability
· Guidelines for recognizing and preventing sexually harassing
behaviors
· How to objectively handle a sexual harassment complaint
· Why timely action to resolve complaints is essential
· How to counsel recipients of harassment
· How to conduct an investigation of a sexual harassment
complaint
· How to prevent reprisals and ensure confidentiality
· Why immediate corrective action is the best defense
against employer liability
· Why office romances between employees and managers can
create problems
· The implications of 1993 EEOC guidelines for training
and human resource functions.
SPECIAL WORKSHOP FEATURES
· Active participant involvement
· Powerful customized case studies
· Practical applications
· Latest legal opinions and Federal guidelines
· Reviewed by nationally recognized legal expert.
WHO SHOULD ATTEND:
· Senior executives, vice presidents, directors, and partners
· Managers, staff, and supervisory personnel
· All employees who want to work together more harmoniously.
A SELF-ASSESSMENT INVENTORY:
Directions: Partners, managers, supervisory personnel, and employees
need to separate fact from fiction about the complex and sensitive
issue of sexual harassment. In order to gain awareness about
your understanding of sexual harassment issues, decide whether
each of the following statements is true(T) or false(F), and
indicate in the space provided.
_____1. Many in management and the general workforce are unclear
about what specific behaviors constitute sexual harassment.
_____2. Sexual harassment is more prevalent in blue collar
workplaces than in white collar workplaces.
_____3. If a firm receives relatively few sexual harassment
complaints, it's probably a good indication that sexual harassment
is not occurring.
_____4. An employer can be liable for the sexually harassing
behavior of management personnel even if it is unaware of that
behavior and has a policy forbidding it.
_____5. Sexual harassment is often caused because the victim
dresses provocatively or behaves suggestively.
_____6. Men and women generally don't agree on the amount
of sexual harassment that takes place or what types of behavior
constitute sexual harassment.
_____7. Sexually suggestive pictures or objects in a workplace
can create a "hostile or offensive work environment"
even if no one complains to management.
_____8. An employer may be liable for the sexually harassing
behaviors of a non-employee who is working on the premises or
a customer who is visiting the firm.
_____9. Dating between a manager and a subordinate may leave
the employer and the manager and the organization vulnerable
to a claim of sexual harassment.
____10. Sexual harassment in the workplace costs employers
billions of dollars a year in lost productivity, absenteeism,
stress-related complaints, and employee turnover.
ABOUT THE INSTRUCTOR:
Paula Lenore Grubb is an experienced educator and consultant
with wide experience in corporate, government, and university
sectors. Her background is a blend of practical business experience
and academic expertise. She has conducted seminars worldwide
for IBM, the United States Army, Hitachi, Miles Pharmaceutical,
Eastman Kodak, Blue Cross and Blue Shield, KPMG Peat Marwick,
and numerous business concerns and professional associations
in the areas of human resource development, conflict resolution,
communications skills, employee empowerment, and women's studies.
Paula's workshops are characterized by active participant
involvement and discussion. Her special talent is her ability
to explain complex ideas in understandable, usable terms, and
to relate theory to everyday practice. Paula's programs receive
consistently "outstanding" participant evaluations;
and attendees find the workshops stimulating, practical, and
well targeted to their professional needs.
Paula holds a doctorate from Columbia University Teachers
College, with concentrations in organizational development and
curriculum design. She is presently preparing a monograph on
sexual harassment, with special emphasis on organizational policies
and practices that foster collegial and non-adversarial work
environments.
Pricing and Availability
To inquire about the cost and availability of this seminar
contact Dr. Grubb at 914-962-3419.
Answers to Self-Assessment Quiz:
1.T; 2.F; 3.F; 4.T; 5.F; 6.T; 7.T; 8.T; 9.T; 10.T.
(Questions 2, 3, and 5 are False--all other items are True.)