The WEAC provided valuable support and suggestions for direction of the initiative. In the period since PEO Council approved the recommendation, Karen Webb of WEAC and Virginia Brown of PEO Communication Department have assumed primary responsibility for development of the Guideline. To make a strong case, you must be prepared to explain the reasons behind the project. Statistical evidence includes such information as the number of individuals being harassed in a given time period, or the effect of harassment on workplace productivity. In essence, it addresses factors that are directly relevant to management and the workforce.
Anecdotal evidence puts a human face on the argument, and can be extremely powerful.
For example, a common counter argument to harassment legislation is the position that harassment simply does not exist. Providing evidence of specific cases of harassment counters that argument. Endorsements show that respected individuals or organizations support the position being promoted. We provided all three types of evidence in our submissions to PEO Council and the Registrar. We accumulated anecdotal evidence via contacts in the Harassment Prevention Offices of different universities and by interviewing individuals who had direct experience of harassment in the workplace.