# Presentation: 781044

## Prevention ofSexual Harassment

**NOAA’s Satellite and Information Service**

## To prevent occurrence of sexual harassment

To increase awareness

To identify behavior associated with sexual harassment

To limit agency liability

**To increase awareness**
**To identify behavior associated with sexual harassment**
**To limit agency liability**

**Objectives**

## Overview

** ****Define sexual harassment **
** ****NOAA’s harassment policy**
** ****Impact on the workplace**
** ****Preventative Actions**
** ****Video**
**   **

## Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) Definition__________________________

**   ****Sexual Harassment is....**
**  “****any **_**unwelcome**_** verbal or physical sexual conduct that is so objectively offensive as to alter the conditions of the victim’s employment.”    **

## 
  Quid Pro Quo 

  Hostile Work Environment

**  ****Quid Pro Quo **
**  ****Hostile Work Environment**

**TYPES  OF**
**SEXUAL HARASSMENT**

##     Quid Pro Quo

**Tangible employment action**
**Can only be committed by supervisory or managerial personnel**
**One single act can be harassment**
**Do not have to prove economic loss, just threat is enough**
**Agency is automatically liable**
*** ***

## Hostile Work Environment

- Where **unwelcome** conduct of a sexual nature creates an uncomfortable work environment
- Legal standard:  “severe or pervasive”
- Usually a **pattern** of inappropriate sexual behavior
- Agency is liable unless it can show an *affirmative defense*

## “Reasonable Person Standard”

**Would a reasonable person consider**
**the behavior to be offensive?**

## How Common is Sexual Harassment
in the Workplace?

- in the Workplace?

## Sexual Harassment Claims with EEOC 

*1980 –1989        5,849 SH Claims*
*1990 – 1999       37,725 SH Claims*
*2000 – 2003        20,601 SH claims  *
*                          *
*Monetary Benefits - $50 million in FY 03**
*                                *
****Reflects federal, state & local claims** *

## Legal costs & awards
Lower productivity & morale
Complaints 
Loss of resources
Career/personal problems
Emotional stress
Poor public image 

- Legal costs & awards
- Lower productivity & morale
- Complaints
- Loss of resources
- Career/personal problems
- Emotional stress
- Poor public image

*Why is sexual harassment a problem?*

## Liability

** ****Agency is held liable**
**Can be reduced with strong agency policy along with training and awareness program**** **
** ****Potential for personal liability**

##   Provides definition of Sexual Harassment

  States that harassment will not be tolerated

  Describes NOAA’s harassment complaint process

  Informs victims of avenues of redress

  Clarifies agency’s requirements

**  ****States that harassment will not be tolerated**
**  ****Describes NOAA’s harassment complaint process**
**  ****Informs victims of avenues of redress**
**  ****Clarifies agency’s requirements**

**NOAA’s**
**   ****Harassment **
**        ****Policy**

## Confront the harasser, ask that the harassment stop

Document continuing harassment

Review the organization policies and prepare thoughts and notes

Report harassment to the appropriate person

**Document continuing harassment**
**Review the organization policies and prepare thoughts and notes**
**Report harassment to the appropriate person**

**	*****What should a victim do?***

## The agency must:

Conduct a prompt, thorough and impartial investigation

Take immediate and appropriate corrective action for substantiated complaints

**Conduct a prompt, thorough and impartial investigation**
**Take immediate and appropriate corrective action for substantiated complaints**

## 
Protected from retaliation 

Provided confidentiality to the extent possible

**Protected from retaliation **
**Provided confidentiality to the extent possible**

***Complainants and witnesses are:****** ***

## Preventing Sexual Harassment

- Be professional

- Respect the
- personal space
- of others

- Think... before speaking

- Address any
- inappropriate
- behavior

- Consider others’
- feelings and perceptions

- Know agency’s
- harassment policy

- Don’t make
- assumptions about
- practical jokes

## Diversity in the Workplace

**Diversity in the Workplace**

**Everyone deserves to be **
**treated with respect!**

##    V i d e o 

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