Harassment Training and Investigations

8/13/2019 Harassment Training and Investigations

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(c) CGI Employee Benefits Group2008

Conducting Harassment PreventionTraining and

Harassment Investigations

Presented by

Ron Page

Human Resources Consultant

CGI Employee Benefits Group


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What do you want to know?


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Agenda

Harassment Training Trends

Business skills vs. job skills General harassment

Need for training

Investigations

Handling complaints properly

Who to involve

Train supervisors


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Ground Rules

Training environment

Its all about me! For this training to be helpful, I need to _______.

Talk about specific people after with trainer or HR.

Keep confidences.


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Harassment Prevention Training

Determine your audience

Develop content Review policies

EEO

Sexual harassment

Respectful workplace Safety

Internal or external resources


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Where to Start?

Whos who?


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Making the Team Machine

Different individuals

Different backgrounds Different experiences

Different viewpoints


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Tell me About This Company


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What Makes a Good Place to Work?

Provide a work environment where employees:

Are treated with respect,

Are treated fairly, and

Feel safe.

Without this employees will look for jobs elsewhere.


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Why are we here?

It is our responsibility to provide a safe

environment. Harassment continues to be a problem in the

workplace.

Need to be vigilant in preventing harassment

from occurring.


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Training Objectives

Understand what harassment is.

Know how to deal with it. Learn that it may be unlawful.

Understand that it will not be tolerated.

Know how complaints are handled.


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What is Harassment?

A form of discrimination.

Behavior that is both unwelcome andoffensive.

Severe and pervasive.

Verbal, Non-Verbal, Physical


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Definition of Legal Harassment

Unwelcome comments or other conduct

that Affects employment decisions.

Interferes with work performance.

Creates an intimidating, hostile or

offensive work environment.

Quid Pro Quo


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Protected Classes

Age

Race

Color Sex and sexual orientation

National Origin

Religion

Citizenship Marital Status

Disability

Veterans Status


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Types of BehaviorIs It or Isnt It?

Unwanted advances.

Racial or religious jokes. Comments on ethnic background.

Talking about sexual topics.

Displaying suggestive objects, pictures, orcartoons.

Leering, whistling, and suggestive comments.


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General Guideline

Would you say it or do it in front of:

Your Parent?

Your Child?

Your Significant Other?

If you would not, than you probably should not.


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What if you feel you are being

harassed?

Tell the person.

Tell your supervisor.

Tell human resources.

Tell someone.


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Employees Role

Do:

Speak up and tell the person you do notlike their behavior and to stop.

Request what you want by saying :

What the behavior is that bothers you.

How it makes you feel.

Go to a supervisor or human resources.


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Employees Role

Dont:

Assume it will go away if you ignore it. Try to deal with severe harassment alone.

Participate in inappropriate behavior.

Allow someone else to treat people poorly.


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If a Complaint is Made

It will be taken seriously.

It will be investigated promptly. Interviews will be conducted to gather

information.

Findings will be based on fact.

Action will be taken to stop harassment if it is

determined it has occurred.


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Summary

People want a work environment where they

are treated with respect. Where they are treated fairly.

Where they feel safe.


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(c) CGI Employee Benefits Group

2008

Management Responsibility

What can you do to Prevent and Stop harassment?

Take it seriously

Deal with it directly and immediately

Understand the how to handle a complaint

Maintain open door policy

Be aware of the work environment

Communicate with your employees Set an example

Act when you know or should have known.


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2008

When an Employee Complains

Get Specifics Who?

What?

When?

Where?

How?

Get Help

Document, document, document


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Did I Say..

Document!


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Less Severe Problem

Coach employee on dos and don'ts.

Provide education. Follow up with employee.

Monitor situation.

Involve HR if situation is not resolved. Document.


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More Severe Situations

Consult with HR to determine action plan:

Who will conduct investigation? Who does interviews?

Review policy and personnel files.

Make determination.

Determine if discipline or other action iswarranted.

Follow-up with complainant and harasser.


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Prevention Steps

A good policy

Education Acting appropriately

Commitment

Be aware and lead by example


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Investigations

Initial Steps

Acknowledge complaint. Relay intent to investigate promptly.

Create action plan.

Determine if interim action needed.

Do I need help?


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Investigations

Set up Confidential Investigative File

Determine if there may be physical evidencethat needs to be protected.

Coordinate efforts with supervisor.


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Conduct Interviews

Complainant

Witnesses and others. Subject of complaint.

Additional witnesses and follow-ups.

In personby phone.


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Preparation

Prepare outline of questions.

Conduct in private. If possible, have another member of

management present.

Use open-ended questions.

Limit to business related matters.

Let employee tell the story.


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Investigative Technique

Journalistic approach Who was involved?

What happened?

When did it happen?

Where did it happen?

How did it happen?

Focus on facts

Attempt to get a written statement, but dontinsist.


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The Interview

PurposeNeed their help.

Confidential nature.

No retaliation and report any attempts.

General to specific questions.

Ask employees for others that can corroborate

information. From victimWhat would they like to see happen?

Need for follow-up.

Review and have sign interview summary.


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Things to Avoid

Detain or restrict employees.

Make accusations or brow beat. Disclose more than a need to know.

Lead a witness.

Promise confidentiality.

Jump to conclusions.


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Did I Say..

Document


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Review Documentation Then Act

Policies

Personnel files

Prior investigations

Investigation findings

Make determination based on facts:

Substantiate or refute allegations. No determination.

Take action when appropriate.


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Level of Proof Needed

Prove it!

Ive got a feeling. Shes believable.

Theres a smidgen of truth.

Its more likely than unlikely.

Its a no brainer.


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Taking Action

Determine level of action: Form education up to termination.

Consult legal advice if warranted.

Meet with employee to explain action beingtaken and reason.

Close the loop with complainantgeneralterms.

Remind about retaliation or further problems.

Record action taken in employees file.


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Write up Findings

State the complaint.

Summarize investigation: Indicate those interviewed

Indicate records reviewed

State findingsDid the behavior violate

company policy?


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Follow-Up

Check in with complainant.

Check in with supervisor. Monitor work area.


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Summary

Youre good to go!

Questions???

Documents

Harassment Training and Investigations