You and your colleagues can sign up for FREE weekly email delivery to your home, office or both. In the wake of last year's Supreme Court cases on sexual harassment, the EEOC has issued guidance addressing the issue of employer liability for unlawful harassment by supervisors. Supervisors would be well advised to examine this guidance closely, since it discusses several new twists. This means that agencies can be found liable, with no chance to present a defense or explanation, if a supervisor directed an undesirable reassignment, or a change in work assignments, as a result of unlawful harassment. This guide is based on President Clinton's Executive Order 13087, which prohibits sexual orientation discrimination among the federal civilian workforce.
Sexual orientation includes homosexuality, bisexuality, and heterosexuality.
The purpose of the guide is to make federal employees aware of how to get help if they think they have been discriminated against based on their sexual orientation. It urges supervisors to distribute the Executive Order to their employees, notify them of help available, and encourage reporting. It also states that in cases where a complaint of discrimination has been made, supervisors should consult with human resources personnel, or agency legal counsel, to make sure that appropriate action is taken, including possibly disciplining the discriminating employee. The initial goal was to hire 10,000 individuals by next year. And not only are individuals getting off welfare, Gore notes, but they are staying off.