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LLAANNDDEEGGGGEERR BBAARROONN LLAAWW GGRROOUUPP,, AALLCC Exclusively Representing Employers
ADVICE SOLUTIONS LITIGATION
Alfred J. Landegger
Larry C. Baron
Roxana E. Verano
Christopher L. Moriarty
Oscar E. Rivas
Marie D. Davis
Brian E. Ewing
Jennifer R. Komsky
Sumithra R. Roberts
Timothy E. Simmen
Michael S. Lavenant 1970 - 2012
Main Office
15760 Ventura Blvd. Suite 1200 Encino, CA 91436 (818) 986-7561 Fax (818) 986-5147
Ventura Office
751 Daily Drive Suite 325 Camarillo, CA 93010 (805) 987-7128 Fax (805) 987-7148
www.landeggeresq.com
“Sexual Harassment and Love Contracts” What Every Supervisor Needs To Know About
Sexual Harassment
Definition of Sexual Harassment under the law.
Recognizing all the varied facets of Sexual Harassment.
How to make a credible determination.
Investigation Do’s and Don’ts.
How documentation wins cases for the Employer.
September, 2014
Presented by:
Studio City:
Alfred J. Landegger, Esq. and
Roxana E. Verano, Esq.
Camarillo:
Christopher L. Moriarty, Esq.
and Marie D. Davis, Esq.
The attached material must not be considered legal advice. The sample forms and policies are for educational purposes only. We strongly recommend that you consult with legal counsel before adopting or implementing any of the attached sample forms and policies so as to avoid potential liability.
This program has been approved for 1.75 (California) recertification
credit hours toward PHR, SPHR & GPHR through the HR
Certification Institute.
"The use of this seal is not an endorsement by the HR Certification Institute of the quality of the program. It means that this program has met the HR Certification Institute's criteria to be pre-
approved for recertification credit."
~ i ~
Table of Contents
Sexual Harassment ........................................................................................................ 1 Acoso Sexual ................................................................................................................... 3 Employee Relations Policy .............................................................................................. 5 Discrimination Allegation/Event Reporting Form ............................................................. 7 Sexual Harassment & Discrimination: Rules, Investigation & Avoidance ...................... 11 Interpersonal Relationship/Conflict of Interest Policy ..................................................... 25
For m
ore i
nfor
mat
ion,
cont
act D
FEH
toll
free a
t (8
00) 8
84-1
684
Sacr
amen
to a
rea
& o
ut-o
f-st
ate a
t (91
6) 4
78-7
200
TTY
num
ber a
t (80
0) 7
00-2
320
or v
isit o
ur W
eb si
te at
ww
w.df
eh.c
a.go
v
In a
ccor
danc
e with
the C
alifo
rnia
Gov
ernm
ent C
ode a
nd
AD
A re
quire
men
ts, th
is pu
blica
tion
can
be m
ade a
vaila
ble
in B
raill
e, la
rge p
rint,
com
pute
r disk
, or t
ape c
asse
tte a
s a
disa
bilit
y-re
late
d re
ason
able
acco
mm
odat
ion
for a
n in
divi
dual
with
a d
isabi
lity.
To d
iscus
s how
to re
ceiv
e a co
py
of th
is pu
blica
tion
in a
n al
tern
ativ
e for
mat
, plea
se co
ntac
t D
FEH
at t
he n
umbe
rs a
bove
.
Stat
e of
Cal
iforn
iaD
epar
tmen
t of F
air E
mpl
oym
ent &
Hou
sing
DFE
H-1
85 (1
1/07
)
The
defin
itio
n of
sex
ual h
aras
smen
t inc
lude
s
man
y fo
rms
of o
ffen
sive
beh
avio
r.
Dep
artm
ent o
f Fai
r Em
ploy
men
t and
Hou
sing
Sexu
al H
aras
smen
tTh
e Fa
cts A
bout
Sex
ual H
aras
smen
t
The
Fair
Empl
oym
ent a
nd H
ousin
g Act
(FEH
A)
defin
es se
xual
har
assm
ent a
s har
assm
ent
base
d on
sex
or o
f a se
xual
nat
ure;
gen
der
hara
ssm
ent;
and
hara
ssm
ent b
ased
on
preg
nan-
cy, c
hild
birt
h, o
r rel
ated
med
ical
con
ditio
ns.
The d
efini
tion
of se
xual
har
assm
ent i
nclu
des
man
y fo
rms o
f offe
nsiv
e be
havi
or, i
nclu
ding
ha
rass
men
t of a
per
son
of th
e sa
me
gend
er
as th
e ha
rass
er. Th
e fo
llow
ing
is a
part
ial l
ist o
f ty
pes o
f sex
ual h
aras
smen
t:
• U
nwan
ted
sexu
al a
dvan
ces
• O
fferin
g em
ploy
men
t ben
efits
in
exch
ange
for s
exua
l fav
ors
• A
ctua
l or t
hrea
tene
d re
talia
tion
• Le
erin
g; m
akin
g se
xual
ges
ture
s; or
di
spla
ying
sexu
ally
sugg
estiv
e ob
ject
s, pi
ctur
es, c
arto
ons,
or p
oste
rs
• M
akin
g or
usin
g de
roga
tory
com
men
ts,
epith
ets,
slurs
, or j
okes
• Se
xual
com
men
ts in
clud
ing
grap
hic c
om-
men
ts a
bout
an
indi
vidu
al’s
body
; sex
u-al
ly d
egra
ding
wor
ds u
sed
to d
escr
ibe a
n in
divi
dual
; or s
ugge
stiv
e or o
bsce
ne le
tters
, no
tes,
or in
vita
tions
• Ph
ysic
al to
uchi
ng o
r ass
ault,
as w
ell a
s im
pedi
ng o
r blo
ckin
g m
ovem
ents
such
as a
lead
, sup
ervi
sor,
man
ager
or a
gent
;
• th
e em
ploy
er h
ad n
o kn
owle
dge
of th
e
hara
ssm
ent;
• th
ere w
as a
prog
ram
to p
reve
nt h
aras
smen
t; an
d
• on
ce aw
are
of a
ny h
aras
smen
t, th
e em
ploy
er
took
imm
edia
te a
nd a
ppro
pria
te c
orre
ctiv
e ac
tion
to st
op th
e ha
rass
men
t.
Filin
g a
Com
plai
nt
Empl
oyee
s or j
ob ap
plic
ants
who
bel
ieve
that
they
ha
ve b
een
sexu
ally
har
asse
d m
ay fi
le a
com
plai
nt o
f di
scrim
inat
ion
with
DFE
H w
ithin
one
yea
r of t
he
hara
ssm
ent.
DFE
H se
rves
as a
neu
tral
fact
-find
er a
nd at
tem
pts t
o he
lp th
e pa
rtie
s vol
unta
rily
reso
lve
disp
utes
. If
DFE
H fi
nds s
ufficie
nt ev
iden
ce to
esta
blish
that
dis-
crim
inat
ion
occu
rred
and
settl
emen
t effo
rts f
ail,
the
Dep
artm
ent m
ay fi
le a f
orm
al ac
cusa
tion.
The a
ccus
a-tio
n w
ill le
ad to
eith
er a
publ
ic he
arin
g be
fore
the F
air
Empl
oym
ent a
nd H
ousin
g C
omm
issio
n or
a la
wsu
it fil
ed b
y D
FEH
on
beha
lf of
the c
ompl
aini
ng p
arty
.
If th
e C
omm
issio
n fin
ds th
at d
iscrim
inat
ion
has o
c-cu
rred
, it c
an o
rder
rem
edie
s inc
ludi
ng:
• Fi
nes o
r dam
ages
for e
mot
iona
l dist
ress
fr
om e
ach
empl
oyer
or p
erso
n fo
und
to h
ave
viol
ated
the
law
• H
iring
or r
eins
tate
men
t
• Ba
ck p
ay o
r pro
mot
ion
• C
hang
es in
the
polic
ies o
r pra
ctic
es o
f the
in
volv
ed e
mpl
oyer
Empl
oyee
s can
also
pur
sue
the
mat
ter t
hrou
gh
a pr
ivat
e la
wsu
it in
civ
il co
urt a
fter a
com
plai
nt
has b
een
filed
with
DFE
H a
nd a
Rig
ht-t
o-Su
e
Not
ice
has b
een
issue
d.
For m
ore
info
rmat
ion,
see
publ
icat
ion
DFE
H-1
59
“Gui
de fo
r Com
plai
nant
s and
Res
pond
ents
.”
Page 1
The
mis
sion
of t
he D
epar
tmen
t of F
air E
mpl
oym
ent a
nd H
ousi
ng is
to p
rote
ct th
e pe
ople
of
Calif
orni
a fr
om u
nlaw
ful d
iscr
imin
atio
n in
em
ploy
men
t, ho
usin
g an
d pu
blic
acc
omm
odat
ions
, and
from
the
perp
etra
tion
of a
cts
of h
ate
viol
ence
.
Empl
oyer
s’ O
blig
atio
ns
All
empl
oyer
s mus
t tak
e th
e fo
llow
ing
actio
ns
agai
nst h
aras
smen
t:
• Ta
ke a
ll re
ason
able
step
s to
prev
ent
disc
rim
inat
ion
and
hara
ssm
ent f
rom
oc
curr
ing.
If h
aras
smen
t doe
s occ
ur,
take
effe
ctiv
e ac
tion
to st
op a
ny fu
rthe
r ha
rass
men
t and
to co
rrec
t any
effe
cts
of th
e ha
rass
men
t.
• D
evel
op a
nd im
plem
ent a
sexu
al h
aras
s-m
ent p
reve
ntio
n po
licy
with
a p
roce
dure
fo
r em
ploy
ees t
o m
ake
com
plai
nts a
nd
for t
he em
ploy
er to
inve
stig
ate c
ompl
aint
s. Po
licie
s sho
uld
incl
ude
prov
ision
s to:
• Fu
lly in
form
the
com
plai
nant
of
his/
her r
ight
s and
any
obl
igat
ions
to se
-cu
re th
ose
right
s.
• Fu
lly a
nd e
ffect
ivel
y in
vest
igat
e. Th
e in
ves-
tigat
ion
mus
t be
thor
ough
, obj
ectiv
e, an
d co
mpl
ete.
Any
one w
ith in
form
atio
n re
-ga
rdin
g th
e m
atte
r sho
uld
be in
terv
iew
ed.
A d
eter
min
atio
n m
ust b
e mad
e and
the r
e-su
lts c
omm
unic
ated
to th
e co
mpl
aina
nt,
to th
e alle
ged
hara
sser
and,
as ap
prop
riate
, to
all o
ther
s dire
ctly
conc
erne
d.
• Ta
ke p
rom
pt a
nd e
ffect
ive
corr
ectiv
e ac
tion
if th
e ha
rass
men
t alle
gatio
ns a
re
prov
en. Th
e em
ploy
er m
ust t
ake
appr
opri-
ate a
ctio
n to
stop
the h
aras
smen
t and
en-
sure
it w
ill n
ot c
ontin
ue. Th
e em
ploy
er
mus
t als
o co
mm
unic
ate
to th
e co
m-
plai
nant
that
actio
n ha
s bee
n ta
ken
to st
op th
e ha
rass
men
t fro
m re
curr
ing.
Fin
ally,
appr
opria
te
steps
mus
t be t
aken
to re
med
y the
com
plai
nant
’s da
mag
es, i
f any
.
• Po
st th
e D
epar
tmen
t of F
air E
mpl
oym
ent a
nd
Hou
sing
(DFE
H) e
mpl
oym
ent p
oste
r (D
FEH
- 1
62) i
n th
e w
orkp
lace
(ava
ilabl
e th
roug
h th
e D
FEH
pub
licat
ions
line
[916
] 478
-720
1 or
W
eb si
te).
• D
istrib
ute
an in
form
atio
n sh
eet o
n se
xual
ha
rass
men
t to
all e
mpl
oyee
s. A
n em
ploy
er m
ay
eith
er d
istrib
ute
this
pam
phle
t (D
FEH
185
) or
dev
elop
an
equi
vale
nt d
ocum
ent t
hat m
eets
th
e re
quire
men
ts o
f Gov
ernm
ent C
ode
sect
ion
1295
0(b)
. This
pam
phle
t may
be
dupl
icat
ed in
an
y qu
antit
y. H
owev
er, t
his p
amph
let i
s no
t to
be u
sed
in p
lace
of a
sexu
al h
aras
smen
t pr
even
tion
polic
y, w
hich
all
empl
oyer
s are
re
quir
ed to
hav
e.
• A
ll em
ploy
ees s
houl
d be
mad
e aw
are
of th
e se
rious
ness
of v
iola
tions
of t
he se
xual
har
assm
ent
polic
y an
d m
ust b
e cau
tione
d ag
ains
t usin
g pe
er
pres
sure
to d
iscou
rage
har
assm
ent v
ictim
s fr
om co
mpl
aini
ng.
• Em
ploy
ers w
ho d
o bu
sines
s in
Cal
iforn
ia a
nd
empl
oy 5
0 or
mor
e pa
rt-t
ime
or fu
ll-tim
e em
ploy
ees m
ust p
rovi
de at
leas
t tw
o ho
urs o
f se
xual
har
assm
ent t
rain
ing
ever
y tw
o ye
ars
to e
ach
supe
rviso
ry e
mpl
oyee
and
to a
ll ne
w
supe
rviso
ry e
mpl
oyee
s with
in si
x m
onth
s of
thei
r ass
umpt
ion
of a
supe
rviso
ry p
ositi
on.
• A
pro
gram
to el
imin
ate
sexu
al h
aras
smen
t fro
m
the
wor
kpla
ce is
not
onl
y re
quire
d by
law,
but
is
the m
ost p
ract
ical
way
for a
n em
ploy
er
to av
oid
or li
mit
liabi
lity
if ha
rass
men
t sho
uld
occu
r des
pite
pre
vent
ive
effor
ts.
Empl
oyer
Lia
bilit
y
All
empl
oyer
s, re
gard
less o
f the
num
ber o
f em
ploy
ees,
are c
over
ed b
y th
e har
assm
ent s
ectio
n of
the F
EHA
. Em
ploy
ers a
re g
ener
ally
liab
le fo
r har
assm
ent b
y th
eir s
uper
viso
rs o
r age
nts.
Har
asse
rs, i
nclu
ding
bot
h su
perv
isory
and
non
-sup
ervi
sory
per
sonn
el, m
ay b
e he
ld p
erso
nally
liab
le fo
r har
assi
ng a
n em
ploy
ee o
r co
wor
ker o
r for
aid
ing
and
abet
ting
hara
ssm
ent.
Add
ition
ally
, the
law
requ
ires
em
ploy
ers t
o ta
ke
“all
reas
onab
le st
eps t
o pr
even
t har
assm
ent f
rom
oc
curr
ing.
” If a
n em
ploy
er h
as fa
iled
to ta
ke su
ch
prev
entiv
e m
easu
res,
that
em
ploy
er c
an b
e he
ld li
-ab
le fo
r the
har
assm
ent.
A v
ictim
may
be
entit
led
to
dam
ages
, eve
n th
ough
no
empl
oym
ent o
ppor
tuni
ty
has b
een
deni
ed an
d th
ere i
s no
actu
al lo
ss o
f pay
or
bene
fits.
In a
dditi
on, i
f an
empl
oyer
kno
ws o
r sho
uld
have
kn
own
that
a n
on-e
mpl
oyee
(e.g
. clie
nt o
r cus
tom
-er
) has
sexu
ally
har
asse
d an
em
ploy
ee, a
pplic
ant,
or
pers
on p
rovi
ding
serv
ices
for t
he em
ploy
er an
d fa
ils
to ta
ke im
med
iate
and
app
ropr
iate
cor
rect
ive
ac-
tion,
the
empl
oyer
may
be
held
liab
le fo
r the
act
ions
of
the
non-
empl
oyee
.
An
empl
oyer
mig
ht av
oid
liabi
lity
if
• th
e ha
rass
er is
not
in a
pos
ition
of a
utho
rity,
Page 2
La d
efini
ción
de
acos
o se
xual
incl
uye
muc
has
man
eras
de
cond
ucta
ofe
nsiv
a.
Aco
so S
exua
lLa
Rea
lidad
Ace
rca
del A
coso
Sex
ual
La L
ey d
e Igu
alda
d en
el E
mpl
eo y
la V
ivie
nda
(FEH
A) d
efine
el a
coso
sexu
al co
mo
un a
cto
que s
e bas
a en
el se
xo, o
de í
ndol
e sex
ual;
acos
o de
bido
al s
exo
del i
ndiv
iduo
; y a
coso
deb
ido
a
emba
razo
, nac
imie
nto,
o e
stad
o de
sal
ud
rela
cion
ados
con
los m
ismos
. La d
efini
ción
de
acos
o se
xual
inclu
ye m
ucha
s for
mas
de c
ondu
cta
ofen
siva,
incl
uyen
do el
aco
so a
una
per
sona
de
l mis
mo
sexo
que
el d
el a
cosa
dor.
Lo q
ue se
in
dica
a c
ontin
uaci
ón e
s una
list
a pa
rcia
l de
la
s dist
inta
s cla
ses d
e ac
oso
sexu
al:
• In
sinua
cion
es d
e ín
dole
sexu
al in
dese
adas
• O
frec
imie
nto
de b
enefi
cios
de
empl
eo a
ca
mbi
o de
favo
res s
exua
les
• Re
pres
alia
o a
men
aza
de re
pres
alia
s•
Mira
das l
asci
vas,
gest
os d
e tip
o se
xual
, o
mos
trar
obj
etos
insin
uant
es, c
omo
foto
-gr
afía
s, ca
ricat
uras
, o p
oste
rs•
Hac
er co
men
tario
s que
men
ospr
ecia
n a u
na p
erso
na, u
sar p
alab
ras s
oece
s, co
men
tario
s ins
inua
ntes
o b
rom
as d
el
mism
o tip
o•
Com
enta
rios d
e ín
dole
sexu
al, i
nclu
yend
o co
men
tario
s grá
ficos
ace
rca
del c
uerp
o
de u
na p
erso
na, u
sand
o pa
labr
as d
egra
-da
ntes
par
a de
scrib
ir a
un in
divi
duo,
ca
rtas
insin
uant
es u
obs
cena
s, m
ensa
jes
o in
vita
cion
es.
• M
anos
eo o
agr
esió
n fís
ica,
com
o ta
mbi
én
el b
loqu
ear o
impe
dir e
l mov
imie
nto
de
una
pers
ona
• El
acos
ador
no
tení
a un
pues
to d
e aut
orid
ad, c
omo
por e
jempl
o su
perv
isor,
jefe,
gere
nte o
agen
te;
• El
em
plea
dor d
esco
nocí
a el
act
o de
aco
so;
• En
su e
mpr
esa
exist
ía u
n pr
ogra
ma
de p
reve
n-ci
ón d
e ac
oso;
y•
Una
vez
que
tuvo
cono
cim
ient
o de
l act
o de
ac
oso,
el e
mpl
eado
r tom
ó m
edid
as in
med
iata
s pa
ra el
imin
arlo
.
Inte
rpos
ició
n de
una
Que
ja
Los t
raba
jado
res o
los p
ostu
lant
es a
un
empl
eo q
ue
crea
n ha
ber s
ido
víct
imas
de a
coso
sexu
al, p
uede
n pr
esen
tar u
na q
ueja
por
disc
rimin
ació
n an
te D
FEH
de
ntro
de
un a
ño a
par
tir d
e la
fech
a en
que
ocu
rrió
di
cho
acto
.
La fu
nció
n de
DFE
H e
s ser
un
inve
stig
ador
neu
tral
de
los h
echo
s ocu
rrid
os y
trat
a de
ase
sora
r a la
s par
-te
s a q
ue re
suelv
an su
disp
uta e
n fo
rma v
olun
taria
. Si
no se
pue
de ll
egar
a u
n ac
uerd
o vo
lunt
ario
, y e
xist
en
prue
bas q
ue se
ñala
n qu
e se
ha
queb
rant
ado
la le
y, D
FEH
pue
de e
miti
r una
acu
saci
ón y
litig
ar
el c
aso
ante
la C
omisi
ón d
e Ig
uald
ad e
n el
Em
pleo
y
la V
ivie
nda,
o en
un
trib
unal
civi
l.
Si la
Com
isión
falla
que
la d
iscrim
inac
ión
ha o
curr
i-do
, pue
de o
rden
ar so
luci
ones
que
pue
den
incl
uir:
• D
e ca
da e
mpl
eado
r o p
erso
na q
ue v
ioló
la
ley,
mul
tas o
pag
o de
com
pens
acio
nes p
or el
su
frim
ient
o em
ocio
nal c
ausa
do;
• El
em
plea
r o re
stitu
ir al
pue
sto
a la
per
sona
co
ntra
qui
en se
disc
rimin
ó;•
El p
ago
de su
eldo
s per
dido
s o el
asc
enso
;•
Cam
bios
en
las p
olíti
cas o
regl
amen
tos d
e la
em
pres
a.
Los e
mpl
eado
s tam
bién
pue
den
enta
blar
una
de-
man
da d
e pro
pia c
uent
a en
una c
orte
civi
l des
pués
de
Dep
arta
men
to d
e Ig
uald
ad e
n el
Em
pleo
y la
Viv
iend
a
Para
reci
bir i
nfor
mac
ión
adic
iona
l, co
mun
íque
se co
n D
FEH
al n
úmer
o sin
car
go (8
00) 8
84-1
684
ár
ea d
e Sa
cram
ento
y fu
era
del E
stad
o al
(9
16) 4
78-7
200
núm
ero
TTY
(800
) 700
-232
0o
visit
e nu
estr
o sit
io e
n la
red:
www.dfeh.ca.gov
De a
cuer
do co
n el
Códi
go d
e Gob
iern
o de
Cal
iforn
ia y
lo
s req
uisit
os d
e la
Ley
de A
mer
icano
s con
Disc
apac
idad
es,
esta
info
rmac
ión
está
disp
onib
le en
Bra
ille,
letra
gra
nde,
disc
o de
com
puta
dora
y ca
sset
te co
mo
una
acom
odac
ión
razo
nabl
e par
a pe
rson
as co
n di
scap
acid
ades
. Par
a in
form
arse
de c
omo
pued
e rec
ibir
una
copi
a de
esta
in
form
ació
n en
un
form
ato
alte
rnat
ivo,
por
favo
r co
mun
íque
se co
n el
depa
rtam
ento
a lo
s núm
eros
que
se
indi
can
ante
riorm
ente
.
Stat
e of
Cal
iforn
iaD
epar
tmen
t of F
air E
mpl
oym
ent &
Hou
sing
DFE
H-1
85S
(11/
07)
habe
r int
erpu
esto
una
que
ja c
on D
FEH
y
de h
aber
reci
bido
la N
otifi
caci
ón d
el D
erec
ho a
Q
uere
llars
e.
Para
más
info
rmac
ión,
vea
la p
ublic
ació
n
de D
FEH
159
, “G
uia
para
los D
enun
cian
tes y
lo
s Dem
anda
dos.”
Page 3
La m
isió
n de
l Dep
arta
men
to d
e Ig
uald
ad e
n el
Em
pleo
y la
Viv
iend
a es
pro
tege
r a lo
s ha
bita
ntes
de C
alif
orni
a de
act
os il
ícit
os d
e di
scri
min
ació
n en
el l
ugar
de
trab
ajo,
en
las
vivi
enda
s y
serv
icio
s pú
-
blic
os, c
omo
tam
bién
de
la p
erpe
trac
ión
de a
ctos
de
viol
enci
a.
Obl
igac
ione
s de
los E
mpl
eado
res
Todo
s los
em
plea
dore
s deb
en a
dopt
ar la
s sig
uien
tes m
edid
as co
ntra
el a
coso
sexu
al:
• A
plic
ar to
das l
as m
edid
as n
eces
aria
s en
la
pre
venc
ión
de la
dis
crim
inac
ión
y ac
o-so
. En
el c
aso
que
se c
omet
a un
act
o de
ac
oso:
tom
ar a
cció
n ef
ectiv
a pa
ra im
pedi
r cu
alqu
ier o
tro
acto
de a
coso
en el
futu
ro,
com
o ta
mbi
én co
rreg
ir cu
alqu
ier c
onse
-cu
enci
a de
rivad
a de
l mism
o.•
Des
arro
llar e
impl
emen
tar u
na p
olíti
ca d
e pr
even
ción
de ac
oso
sexu
al p
ropo
rcio
nand
o un
mec
anism
o pa
ra q
ue lo
s tra
baja
dore
s pu
edan
pre
sent
ar lo
s rec
lam
os y
par
a qu
e el
empl
eado
r pue
da in
vest
igar
las q
ueja
s. Es
tas p
olíti
cas d
eber
ían
incl
uir d
ispos
i-ci
ones
par
a:•
Info
rmar
al re
clam
ante
de s
us d
erec
hos y
de
cua
lqui
er o
tra
med
ida
a ad
opta
r par
a pr
eser
var a
quel
los d
erec
hos.
• Re
aliz
ar u
na in
vest
igac
ión
com
plet
a y
efec
tiva.
Se
debe
rá re
aliz
ar la
s ind
aga-
cion
es co
rres
pond
ient
es c
on to
das l
as
pers
onas
que
pos
ean
info
rmac
ión
al re
s-pe
cto.
Se
debe
lleg
ar a
una
det
erm
inac
ión
y co
mun
icar
los r
esul
tado
s de
las m
isma
al
recl
aman
te, a
l pre
sunt
o ac
osad
or, y
si
es ap
ropi
ado,
a to
dos a
quél
los i
nvol
ucra
-do
s dire
ctam
ente
en el
asun
to.
• Si
el a
coso
sexu
al e
s com
prob
ado,
se
deb
e ad
opta
r de
inm
edia
to y
sin
dem
o-ra
una
med
ida
corr
ectiv
a.
El e
mpl
eado
r deb
e to
mar
med
idas
apro
-pi
adas
par
a pa
rar e
l aco
so y
ase
gura
se d
e qu
e no
cont
inúe
. El e
mpl
eado
r tam
bién
le
debe
info
rmar
al d
enun
cian
te so
bre
las a
ccio
nes
que
se h
an to
mad
o pa
ra q
ue el
acos
o no
vue
lva
a ocu
rrir.
Fin
alm
ente
, se
debe
n to
mar
med
idas
pa
ra re
med
iar l
as p
érdi
das o
dañ
os in
curr
idos
po
r el d
enun
cian
te, s
i los
hub
iera
.•
Colo
car e
l pos
ter (
DFE
H 1
62) d
el D
epar
tam
en-
to d
e Ig
uald
ad e
n el
Em
pleo
y la
Viv
iend
a (D
epar
tmen
t of F
air E
mpl
oym
ent a
nd H
ousin
g [D
FEH
]) en
el lu
gar d
e tra
bajo
(disp
onib
le
a tr
avés
del
núm
ero
de p
ublic
acio
nes d
e D
FEH
[9
16] 4
78-7
201
o el
sitio
en
la re
d).
• D
istr
ibui
r ent
re to
dos l
os tr
abaj
ador
es u
n fo
lleto
info
rmat
ivo
acer
ca d
el a
coso
sexu
al.
El e
mpl
eado
r pue
de d
istr
ibui
r est
e pa
nflet
o (D
FEH
185
) o im
prim
ir un
doc
umen
to eq
uiva
-len
te q
ue cu
mpl
a con
los r
equi
sitos
disp
uesto
s po
r el a
rtícu
lo 1
2950
(b) d
el Có
digo
del
Gob
iern
o.
Este
folle
to p
uede
ser d
uplic
ado
tant
as v
eces
co
mo
sea
nece
sari
o. S
in em
barg
o, e
ste
panfl
e-to
no
pued
e se
r uti
lizad
o en
reem
plaz
o de
la
polít
ica
de p
reve
nció
n de
l aco
so se
xual
, que
to
dos l
os em
plea
dore
s deb
en te
ner.
• Se
deb
erá
info
rmar
a to
dos l
os tr
abaj
ador
es
acer
ca d
e la
gra
veda
d de
l inc
umpl
imie
nto
de
la p
olíti
ca d
e ac
oso
sexu
al. S
e de
berá
edu
car a
l pe
rson
al d
e su
perv
isore
s ace
rca
de su
s res
pon-
sabi
lidad
es e
spec
ífica
s en
esta
mat
eria
. Se
debe
adv
ertir
a to
dos l
os tr
abaj
ador
es d
e la
s co
nsec
uenc
ias a
que
se ex
pone
n si
pres
iona
n
a su
s com
pañe
ros p
ara
disu
adirl
os d
e pr
esen
tar
una
quej
a.•
La le
y no
sólo
dis
pone
que
se im
plem
ente
un
prog
ram
a pa
ra el
imin
ar el
aco
so se
xual
en
el
luga
r de
empl
eo, s
ino
que
es la
vía
más
prá
cti-
ca d
el e
mpl
eado
r par
a as
í evi
tar o
lim
itar l
a re
spon
sabi
lidad
civi
l si e
l aco
so se
xual
ocu
rre
a
pesa
r de
las m
edid
as d
e pr
even
ción
impl
emen
-ta
das.
Resp
onsa
bilid
ad C
ivil
del E
mpl
eado
r
Todo
s los
em
plea
dore
s, sin
tom
ar e
n cu
enta
el
núm
ero
de tr
abaj
ador
es e
n su
s em
pres
as, e
stán
in
clui
dos e
n la
secc
ión
de ac
oso
sexu
al d
ispue
sta
por F
EHA
. En
gene
ral,
los e
mpl
eado
res s
on re
spon
-sa
bles
por
los a
ctos
de
acos
o co
met
idos
por
sus
supe
rviso
res o
age
ntes
. Los
aco
sado
res,
incl
uyen
do
el p
erso
nal d
e su
perv
isión
o p
erso
nal s
in re
spon
sa-
bilid
ades
de s
uper
visió
n, p
uede
n ex
pone
rse a
que
se
les h
aga r
espo
nsab
les p
or el
acos
o a u
n tra
bajad
or(a
) o
com
pañe
ro(a
) de
trab
ajo
o po
r ayu
dar e
inci
tar
en u
n ac
to d
e ac
oso
sexu
al.
Ade
más
, la l
ey d
ispon
e que
los e
mpl
eado
res a
dop-
ten
“tod
as la
s med
idas
nec
esar
ias p
ara p
reve
nir q
ue
ocur
ra e
l aco
so se
xual
.” S
i un
empl
eado
r no
ha
cum
plid
o co
n ap
licar
esta
s med
idas
pre
vent
ivas
, se
le p
uede
hac
er re
spon
sabl
e po
r el a
cto
de ac
oso.
A
simism
o, u
na v
íctim
a pod
ría te
ner e
l der
echo
de
que s
e le c
ompe
nse p
or lo
s dañ
os co
ntra
su p
erso
na,
aunq
ue n
o se
le h
aya
nega
do u
na o
port
unid
ad
de tr
abaj
o y
aunq
ue la
víc
tima
no h
aya
sufr
ido
ning
una p
érdi
da en
sus i
ngre
sos o
ben
efici
os.
Ade
más
, si u
n em
plea
dor s
abe o
deb
ería
hab
er sa
bido
qu
e un
a pe
rson
a qu
e no
per
tene
ce a
l per
sona
l de
su
empr
esa h
a aco
sado
sexu
alm
ente
a un
trab
ajad
or,
un p
ostu
lant
e a
un e
mpl
eo, o
a u
n in
divi
duo
que
prop
orcio
na se
rvici
os a
su em
pres
a, y d
icho
empl
ea-
dor n
o cu
mpl
e co
n to
mar
una
med
ida
corr
ectiv
a ad
ecua
da e
inm
edia
ta, s
e le p
odría
hac
er re
spon
sabl
e po
r el a
cto
de a
coso
sexu
al.
Un
empl
eado
r pod
ría e
vita
r la
resp
onsa
bilid
ad ci
vil
en el
cas
o qu
e:
Page 4
EMPLOYEE RELATIONS POLICY WITH ACKNOWLEDGMENT
A. POLICY AGAINST DISCRIMINATION.
___________________________________ (the “Company”) is committed to providing a
work environment that is free of discrimination. In keeping with this commitment, the Company
maintains a strict policy prohibiting unlawful discrimination. This policy applies to all
employees of the Company, including supervisors and non-supervisory employees. The policy
also, applies to non-employees of the Company including clients, customers, vendors and any
other person doing business with the Company.
All aspects of employment with the Company will be governed on the basis of merit,
competence and qualifications and will not be influenced in any manner by an individual's race,
ancestry, color, religion, national origin, marital status, sex (including sexual harassment and
gender identity), sexual orientation, disability (physical or mental including HIV/AIDS
diagnosis), pregnancy, medical condition (cancer and genetic characteristics), age or exercising
the right to any legally provided leave of absence in the application of any policy, practice, rule
or regulation.
All decisions made with respect to recruiting and hiring, evaluations and promotions for
all job classifications will be based solely on individual qualifications as related to the
requirements of the position. Likewise, all other personnel matters such as compensation,
benefits, transfers, layoffs, training, educational opportunities and programs will be administered
free from any illegal discriminatory practices.
B. POLICY AGAINST HARASSMENT, INCLUDING SEXUAL
HARASSMENT.
The Company is also committed to providing a work environment that is free of
harassment, including sexual harassment.
Sexual harassment includes:
1. Unwanted sexual advances;
2. Offering employment benefits in exchange for sexual favors;
3. Making or threatening reprisals after a negative response to sexual
advances;
4. Visual conduct: leering, making sexual gestures,
displaying of sexually suggestive objects or pictures, cartoons or posters;
5. Verbal conduct: making or using derogatory comments, epithets, slurs,
and jokes;
6. Verbal sexual advances or propositions;
7. Verbal abuse of a sexual nature, graphic verbal commentaries about an
individual's body, sexually degrading words used to describe an
individual, suggestive or obscene letters, notes, or invitations; and
8. Physical conduct: touching, assault, impeding or blocking movement.
Page 5
C. COMPLAINT AND INVESTIGATION PROCEDURE.
Any form of discrimination or harassment, including sexual harassment, is absolutely
prohibited. Any incident of possible discrimination or harassment should be brought
immediately to the attention of the Human Resources Department of the Company which will
thoroughly investigate the matter in confidence. After reviewing all the evidence, the Company
will make a determination concerning whether reasonable grounds exist to believe that
harassment has occurred.
Disciplinary action, up to and including discharge, will be taken against any employee
who is found to have engaged in harassment.
No employee shall be subjected to any form of retaliation for reporting any violation of
this policy truthfully and in good faith.
HARASSMENT BY NON-EMPLOYEES.
In addition, the Company will take all reasonable steps to prevent or eliminate sexual
harassment by non-employees including customers, clients and suppliers who are likely to have
workplace conduct with our employees.
EMPLOYEE RELATIONS POLICY ACKNOWLEDGMENT
EMPLOYEE RELATIONS POLICY ACKNOWLEDGMENT
I have read and received a copy of the Company’s Employee Relations Policy,
including the policies against discrimination and harassment, including sexual harassment, and fully
understand my obligations and responsibilities as outlined therein.
Signed: Date: ________________________
Signed: Date: ________________________
Witness: Date: ________________________
Page 6
PROTECTED BY THE ATTORNEY-CLIENT PRIVILEGE
DISCRIMINATION ALLEGATION/EVENT REPORTING FORM
TO: Alfred J. Landegger, Esq.
COMPANY: LANDEGGER BARON LAW GROUP
FAX NO. (818) 986-5147__________
FROM: ______________________
DATE: ______________________
CC: Director of Human Resources
This form must be completed by the Supervisor or by the corporate Human Resources
Department no later than the next business day after any allegation of harassment or
discrimination in the workplace.
1. Please complete the attached First Report of Event or Circumstance. When
interviewing the employee, do not feel compelled to ask the questions in the same
order. Feel free to ask additional questions. Always be a good listener and take
accurate notes. Never label the behavior, statement or allegation as “sexual
harassment” or “discrimination.” Document the words used by employee. No
further investigation is to take place until instructed to do so by
______________________ and Landegger Baron Law Group;
2. Attach a copy of the personnel file of the employee making the allegation of
harassment or discrimination; and
3. Attach the personnel file of the employee(s) against whom the allegation of
harassment or discrimination has been made.
If you have any questions concerning this Discrimination Allegation/Event
Reporting Form, or the attached First Report of Event or Circumstance, please contact
_______________ at _______________ or Alfred J. Landegger, Esq. (818) 986-7561.
Page 7
FIRST REPORT OF EVENT OR CIRCUMSTANCE
Date:_________________________
1. Name of Employee Being Interviewed: _________________________________
2. Name of Interviewer: _______________________________________________
3. Name Facility or Location: ___________________________________________
4. Who was involved?: ________________________________________________
5. Tell me what happened? _____________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
6. When did the incident(s) happen?______________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
7. Where did the incident(s) happen? _____________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
8. Were there any other incident(s)?______________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
9. How did this incident make you feel? ___________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
10. Was your work affected?_____________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
11. Was this the first time this had happened?________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
12. Were there any previous incidents of inappropriate behavior?________________
________________________________________________________________________
(Note: Attach additional documentation as necessary.)
Page 8
13. Have you kept any records, such as written notes, tape recordings or anything
else?______________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
(If so, please attach.)
14. Do you know of any other employee(s) who had similar experiences? __________
Who:______________________________________________________________
When:_____________________________________________________________
15. Have you discussed this with anyone at work?______________________________
Who:______________________________________________________________
When:_____________________________________________________________
16. Have you discussed this with anyone outside of work?_______________________
Who:______________________________________________________________
When:_____________________________________________________________
17. Did you participate in the incident?______________________________________
18. If yes, tell me how you participated: _____________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
19. How would you describe your relationship with the employee about whom you are
complaining?________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
20. Are there any other issues we should discuss?______________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
21. Were any other facts or other information that you think I should know?_________
_________________________________________________________________________
(Note: Attach additional documentation as necessary.)
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22. Who do you think I should talk to?_______________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
23. Do you have any suggestions as to how best to resolve the situation? _____________
__________________________________________________________________________
_______________________ ______________________________________
Type/Print Name of Person Signature of Person Conducting Interview
Conducting Interview
Date:______________
(Note: Attach additional documentation as necessary.)
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Sexual Harassment: Rules, Investigation and Avoidance
I. Rules
A. Federal Laws
1. Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VII) (42 USC §§2000e – 2000e-17)
a. Applies to employers that employ 15 or more employees on each working
day in 20 or more calendar weeks of the current or preceding year in an
industry affecting commerce. (42 USC §2000e(b).)
b. Prohibits discrimination and/or harassment on the basis of: i. race
ii. color
iii. religion
iv. sex, or
v. national origin (includes tribal membership) (42 USC §2000e-
2(a)–(c))
B. California Laws
1. Fair Employment and Housing Act (“FEHA”) (Govt. Code §§12900–12996)
a. Applies generally to any employer regularly employing 5 or more persons.
(Govt. Code §12926(d).) Prohibition against harassment applies to any
employer regularly employing 1 or more employees. (Govt. Code
§12940(j).)
b. Prohibits employment discrimination and/or harassment on the basis of
the following (actual or perceived):
i. race
ii. religious creed
iii. color
iv. national origin
v. ancestry vi. physical or mental disability vii. medical condition viii. marital status ix. sex
x. age
xi. sexual orientation (Govt. Code §12940(a)), or
xii. pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions (Govt. Code
§§12943, 12945)
c. Employees of any entity covered by FEHA may be personally liable for
prohibited harassment perpetrated by a co-employee.
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C. Training
1. Government Code §12950.1 requires the following:
a. Every employer with more than 50 employees must provide at least two
hours of classroom or other interactive training and education to all
supervisory employees employed as of July 1, 2005, and thereafter.
b. All new supervisory employees must receive such training within six
months of their assumption of a supervisory position.
c. Employers must provide such training and education to each supervisory
employee once every two years.
d. Training and education must include both informational and practical
guidance on how to comply with state and federal law, prevention and
correction of sexual harassment and remedies available to victims of
sexual harassment.
e. AB 2095 amends the statute to apply only to supervisory employees
physically located in California (2007)
2. Government Code Section 12926(r) defines a “supervisor” as follows:
“Any individual having the authority, in the interest of the employer, to hire,
transfer, suspend, lay off, recall, promote, discharge, assign, reward, or discipline
other employees, or the responsibility to direct them, or to adjust their
grievances, or effectively to recommend that action, if, in connection with the
foregoing, the exercise of that authority is not of a merely routine or clerical
nature, but requires the use of independent judgment.”
D. Significant Court Decisions
1. James Stevens v. Vons (Oct. 2008)
a. Male employee filed a lawsuit in 2004 alleging that a female supervisor
taunted him daily with sexual gestures and remarks.
b. Witnesses corroborated his allegations.
c. Following its investigation, Vons determined that supervisor was using
sexually offensive language and gestures, but company officials chose not
to discipline her. Instead they transferred complaining employee to a less
desirable store.
d. Complaining employee fired following DFEH investigation.
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2. Lyle v. Warner Brothers Television Productions (April 2006)
a. “Creative necessity” is an affirmative defense for sexual harassment that
allegedly occurred on “Friends” TV show.
b. Sexually course and vulgar language “did not involve and was not aimed
at plaintiff or other women in the workplace.”
c. Plaintiff had been warned when she was hired that explicit discussions
were part of developing the sexually charged comedy.
2. EEOC v. National Education Association (September 2005)
a. A bully does not have to be motivated by lust in order to sexually
discriminate against women.
b. “This case illustrates an alternative motivational theory in which an
abusive bully takes advantage of a traditionally female workplace because
he is more comfortable when bullying women than when bullying men.”
c. “Harassing conduct need not be motivated by sexual desire to support an
inference of discrimination on the basis of sex.”
3. Miller v. Department of Corrections (July 2005)
a. Evidence of sexual relationships between male supervisor and three
female subordinates and of widespread belief on behalf of other
subordinates that such involvement was a factor in promotions was
sufficient to create a claim of sexual harassment where plaintiffs (two
female employees) made a prima facie showing that they did not receive
promotions for which they were qualified, even though plaintiffs were not
themselves propositioned.
b. An isolated instance of favoritism on the part of a supervisor toward a
female employee with whom the supervisor is conducting a consensual
sexual relationship ordinarily would not constitute sexual harassment.
4. Salazar v. Diversified Paratransit Inc. (March 2004)
a. Employer may be liable under FEHA for sexual harassment committed by
clients.
5. Rene v. MGM Grand Hotel, Inc. (Sept. 2002)
a. Openly gay employee alleging sexual harassment by same-sex co-workers
has stated claim under Title VII.
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II. Harassment
A. Sexual harassment – most common
1. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (“EEOC”) has issued
regulations and guidelines regarding sexual harassment that are published on its
website at www.eeoc.gov
2. Definition: Unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other
verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature when this conduct explicitly or
implicitly affects an individual's employment, unreasonably interferes with an
individual's work performance, or creates an intimidating, hostile, or offensive
work environment.
3. Circumstances of Sexual Harassment (taken from EEOC guidelines):
a. The victim as well as the harasser may be a woman or a man. The victim
does not have to be of the opposite sex.
b. The harasser can be the victim's supervisor, an agent of the employer, a
supervisor in another area, a co-worker, or a non-employee.
c. The victim does not have to be the person harassed but could be anyone
affected by the offensive conduct.
d. Unlawful sexual harassment may occur without economic injury to or
discharge of the victim.
e. The harasser's conduct must be unwelcome.
4. EEOC statistics from fiscal year 2009
a. 12,696 charges filled alleging sexual harassment discrimination pursuant
to Title VII (16%)
b. 16% of the charges of sexual harassment were filed by males.
c. $51.5 million in monetary benefits recovered for charging parties and
other aggrieved individuals (not including monetary benefits obtained
through litigation).
d. 47.7% of sexual harassment charges filed determined to have no
reasonable cause
B. Standard for Judging Sexual Harassment
1. Quid pro Quo: Occurs when employment decisions concerning an employee are
based on that employee’s acceptance or rejection of unwelcome sexual behavior.
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a. Can only be committed by the employee’s supervisor or some other
employee with the power to affect the complaining employee’s terms of
employment.
b. Under both Federal and California law, an employer is strictly liable if
quid pro quo harassment is found to have occurred (no affirmative
defenses).
2. Hostile Environment: Occurs when an employee is subjected to unwelcome
verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature which is sufficiently severe or
pervasive so as to alter the conditions of the victim’s employment and create an
abusive working environment.
a. May be caused by any employee including co-workers, supervisors, or
managers.
b. The victim does not need to establish tangible or economic job
consequences.
c. Both an objective and subjective standard is utilized to determine whether
conduct is abusive:
i. Objective: Reasonable person standard
ii. Subjective: Reasonable person with the same fundamental
characteristics as the victim
d. Factors to consider:
i. Frequency of conduct
ii. Severity
iii. Physically threatening or humiliating, or merely an offensive
utterance
iv. Whether it unreasonably interferes with employee’s performance
v. Whether it affects the employee’s psychological well-being
(employee need not establish a psychological injury to prevail)
3. Examples of conduct that can create a hostile work environment:
a. Verbal Conduct
i. Unwanted sexual advances, requests for sexual favors.
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ii. Making or threatening reprisals after a negative response to
sexual advances.
iii. Telling sexual stories or jokes using obscene language.
iv. Referring to other employees by names such as sweetie, doll,
honey or babe.
v. Making sexual comments or innuendoes about a person's body or
appearance.
vi. Questioning a person about their sexual experience or
preferences.
vii. Making suggestive sounds or whistling at a person.
viii. Making quid pro quo sexual demands and threats.
b. Written or electronic harassment
i. Displaying or providing sexually explicit pictures, cartoons or
other visual images (computer generated through e-mail or given
to the person personally or anonymously).
ii. Sending unwanted notes, messages or other written material by
any medium including e-mail.
iii. Providing unwanted personal gifts such as flowers, candy,
jewelry or other items.
c. Physical
i. Physically touching a person's body, clothing or hair.
ii. Blocking movement.
iii. Making suggestive gestures or body movements.
iv. Massaging a person's neck or shoulders.
v. Invading someone's personal space by leaning over them,
standing very close or rubbing against them.
vi. Kissing, caressing or pinching another person.
d. Visual Conduct
i. Leering and ogling.
ii. Making suggestive signs.
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iii. Posting suggestive cartoons.
e. Not an all inclusive list
4. Guidelines for Recognizing Sexual Harassment
a. Ask yourself the following questions to help determine whether certain
behavior is sexual harassment:
i. Would you want your child, parent, sibling or spouse to endure
the situation?
ii. Is the behavior job-related? Is it focused on getting the job
done?
iii. Is the behavior directed toward only women or only men?
iv. Can the behavior be classified as courting, flirting, or other
sexual behavior?
v. Has the employee receiving the attention objected to the
behavior in any way?
vi. Has the behavior happened before?
vii. Does the behavior make it more difficult for the receiving
employee to do his or her job?
viii. Would a reasonable person of the same gender as the recipient
feel demeaned, degraded, or embarrassed by the behavior?
ix. Is someone using a position of power to make a person of the
opposite gender feel inferior, vulnerable or victimized?
x. Is a supervisor predicating job-related status on receptivity to
sexual advances?
C. Sources of Liability
1. Agents and Supervisors
a. The US Supreme Court has ruled that under Title VII, an employer is
strictly liable for sexual harassment committed by supervisory personnel,
even if the employer did not know or have reason to know at the time that
the harassment was occurring and was not negligent in preventing its
occurrence.
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i. Rejecting the distinction between quid pro quo and hostile
environment claims
b. Under California law, an employer is strictly liable for harassment
perpetrated by an agent or supervisor. (Govt. Code §12940(j)(1).)
i. Only in rare cases will an employer not be liable for sexual
harassment by a supervisor.
c. An employee of any covered employer or entity is personally liable for
any harassment prohibited by FEHA that is perpetrated by the employee,
regardless of whether the employer or entity knows or should have known
of the conduct and fails to take immediate and appropriate corrective
action. (Govt. Code §12940(j)(3).)
d. A non-harassing supervisor who is aware of harassment but does nothing
to stop it is not individually liable for aiding and abetting the harassment.
(Govt. Code §12940(k); Fiol v. Doellstedt (1996) 50 Cal.App.4th 1318,
1326, 58 Cal.Rptr.2d 308, 313.)
2. Employees and 3
rd Parties
a. An employer is liable if it knew or should have known of the harassment
and failed to take prompt remedial action to stop it. (29 CFR
§1604.11(d)–(e).)
b. Remedial action must include immediate and corrective action calculated
to (1) end the current harassment and (2) deter future harassment from the
same offender or others.
D. Affirmative Defense to Harassment
1. Under Title VII, an employer has an affirmative defense to harassment in
instances when the employee has not suffered a tangible employment action.
a. An employer may avoid liability by proving both of the following:
(1) it exercised reasonable care to prevent and promptly correct any
sexually harassing behavior, and
(2) the victim unreasonably failed to take advantage of any preventative
and corrective opportunities provided by the employer or to otherwise
avoid harm.
b. A tangible employment action is a significant change in employment
status, such as hiring, firing, failing to promote, reassignment with
significantly different responsibilities, or a decision causing a significant
change in benefits.
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2. In California, strict liability is not absolute liability.
a. The affirmative defenses available in Federal claims may be available to
reduce the employer’s liability in damages.
b. Avoidable consequences doctrine
i. Employer took reasonable steps to prevent and correct workplace
harassment
ii. Employee unreasonably failed to use the preventative and
corrective measures that the employer provided, and
iii. Reasonable use of the employer’s procedures would have
prevented at least some of the harm that the employee suffered.
c. No tangible employment action is required for employer liability.
E. Preventive Steps
1. Written harassment policy
a. Written in clear and understandable language
b. Emphasizes that sexual and all other forms of workplace harassment are
prohibited
c. Clearly explains employees’ obligation to report any conduct that may be
viewed as harassing, and
d. States that no retaliatory action will be taken against persons making
complaints about harassment or acting as a witness in support of
complaints of harassment.
2. Employers are required to distribute an information sheet on sexual harassment
provided by the DFEH, unless the employer provides equivalent information.
(Govt. Code §12950(b).)
a. The text of this information sheet is available for downloading from the
DFEH website at http://www.dfeh.ca.gov/Publications/DFEH-
185.pdfhttp://www.dfeh.ca.gov
3. Have a well-defined procedure for bringing allegations of harassment to the
attention of the appropriate employer representative, followed by a timely
investigation and appropriate remedial action where harassment has been found.
a. The procedure should specifically ensure that there will not be any
retaliation for having made an allegation of harassment.
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b. Train employees to recognize sexual harassment when it occurs and to
know their rights to have the behavior stopped.
c. Encourage your employees to file a complaint if they are subject to sexual
harassment so that it can be resolved quickly, before it creates a hostile
work environment.
4. Insure that the appropriate federal and state posters regarding discrimination and
harassment are posted.
a. Use a poster prepared or approved by the EEOC. The EEOC has
developed a poster entitled “Equal Employment Opportunity is the Law”
that satisfies the posting requirement.
b. Post in a conspicuous place on your premises.
5. Managers and supervisors should be thoroughly trained to deal with harassment
problems in the workplace.
a. Immediately advise Human Resources of the complaint and advise the
employee you will get back to them.
b. Do not condone sexual harassment
c. Sexual harassment is illegal and should not be tolerated by supervisors.
d. Supervisors are a key element in preventing sexual harassment and the
legal liability that flows from it.
e. Make it clear to all employees that the behaviors listed above are not
tolerated in the work place, and that a person found to have engaged in
sexual harassment will be subject to corrective or disciplinary measures
including oral reprimand, written warning, counseling, transfer,
reassignment, suspension or termination.
f. Supervisors should require all employees to acknowledge that they are
aware of and understand company policy prohibiting sexual harassment.
III. Investigating and Resolving Complaints of Harassment
A. Complaints must be handled promptly, seriously, sensitively, objectively and as
confidentially as possible.
1. Supervisors should report complaints of harassment to Human Resources
immediately.
B. All complaints should be handled fairly giving due regard for the victim’s feelings and
the right of the accused to present his or her side of the story.
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C. Try to get an agreement with the victim and the accused on what their story is.
D. When conducting interviews of the victim and his or her witnesses, write the facts down
and ask them to sign a statement.
E. Find out what the victim wants to resolve the complaint.
F. Interview the alleged harasser and any witnesses that they have.
G. Make a decision about whether harassment has occurred, and, if so, what type of
discipline is appropriate for the behavior.
1. Discipline may include, but is not limited to:
a. Verbal warning
b. Written warning
c. Unpaid leave/suspension
d. Probationary period
e. Reassignment/demotion
f. Transfer
g. Termination
H. Advise the complaining party of the results of the investigation and the action that will be
taken.
I. Advise the offender of the results of the investigation, the discipline imposed (if any) and
that no retaliation will be permitted.
J. Work with legal counsel.
K. A complete and thorough investigation is a defense (Cotran v. Rollins Hudig Hall
International (1998) 17 Cal.4th 93.)
IV. Avoidance – How To Avoid Claims of Harassment
A. Create a strongly worded policy forbidding harassment of employees or contractors by
any fellow employee including supervisors and managers or by any client, vendor,
contractor or any other person having contact with company employees.
B. Designate individuals responsible for implementing policies.
1. Notify employees in writing of who is responsible for the implementation of the
policies.
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C. Create a procedure for employees to bring complaints of harassment to the attention of
management.
1. Be sure it allows for complaint to someone other than the employee's immediate
supervisor in cases where the employee deems it necessary.
D. Publish the policy and procedure widely and frequently throughout your company and
include it in your employee handbook.
1. Have employees sign acknowledgments indicating they have received, read and
understood your policies and procedures and maintain the acknowledgments in
each employee’s personnel file.
E. Display current federal and state anti-discrimination/harassment posters at appropriate
places in company facilities and distribute the state mandated sexual harassment brochure
to all new employees at time of hire.
F. Hold periodic training sessions (at least annually) for employees and supervisors restating
company policy and procedures prohibiting unlawful harassment, including sexual
harassment.
1. Have employees acknowledge attendance at training sessions.
G. It is incumbent upon all supervisors and managers to understand and apply the
company’s policy and not allow harassment to exist in the workplace.
1. Teach management employees to be sensitive to issues of harassing treatment
and the ramifications of their conduct on their own personal liability and that of
the company.
H. Take seriously any claim of harassment and investigate the allegations thoroughly and
promptly.
1. Maintain confidentiality as much as possible during the investigation and take
prompt and appropriate action that remedies justifiable claims.
I. Consider using an outside attorney to advise you and/or conduct the investigation.
J. Document the completion of all of the steps above.
V. Remedies for Violations
A. Back pay
B. Hiring
C. Promotion
D. Reinstatement
E. Out-of-pocket expenses
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F. Front pay
G. Policy changes
H. Training
I. Reasonable accommodation
J. Affirmative relief
K. Actual damages, including damages for emotional distress
L. Punitive damages
Page 24
INTERPERSONAL RELATIONSHIP/CONFLICT-OF-INTEREST POLICY
It has come to the attention of management that you are involved in a personal relationship,
romantic or otherwise, that may present a potential conflict-of-interest within the organization.
The purpose of this policy and acknowledgement is so that all persons involved are aware of
the company's policies on sexual harassment and workplace ethics and understand the
consequences of failure to follow those policies.
It is therefore agreed as follows:
I am familiar with the Company's Policy Against Harassment;
The relationship at issue is welcome and consensual by both parties;
The employee will notify the Company of any unwelcome behavior;
The employee shall comply with the company's discrimination, harassment and other related
workplace policies;
Neither party to the relationship at issue will request, apply for, or in any way accept a direct
supervisor or reporting relationship with the other;
Neither party will engage in conduct regarded as favoritism or behavior that co-workers may
reasonably perceive as favoritism;
All parties to the relationship at issue understand they may end their relationship at any time
without workplace retaliation of any form by one another or by any other employee; and
The parties will behave professionally and appropriately at work and will not engage in
inappropriate public displays of affection at the workplace.
I understand and acknowledge the above policy.
Employee
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