GREAT 156 IDEA: Be Serious about Your Sexual Harassment Policy

Sexual harassment is serious business. That's why even the smallest company should have a written policy in place. According to federal regulations, a company is responsible for sexual harassment in the workplace “where the employer (or its agents or supervisory employees) knows or should have known of the conduct.”

If you think telling sexual jokes or touching employees is funny, it's not. Of all working women, 40 to 60 percent have reported being subjected to some sort of sexual harassment on the job, according to the American Psychological Association.

Complaints from employees should never be taken lightly or dismissed. The last thing you need is an expensive and time-consuming lawsuit.

Here are some tips to avoid problems:

• Draft and distribute a clear policy prohibiting sexual harassment at your company. Ask employees to acknowledge in writing that they have read it and understand the ramifications of violating it.
• Document all sexual harassment complaints in writing. Create a paper trail that contains details of the alleged event and how you handled it.
• Question any witnesses to the alleged event and document their account.
• Consult an experienced attorney before your employee threatens to file a formal complaint.
• Remember, under federal law, an employer is automatically liable for an employee's behavior in the workplace, unless you can prove that you created and distributed a policy prohibiting sexual harassment.