Receiving a Complaint of Sexual Harassment
When an employer receives a sexual harassment complaint made by an employee, the employer's best defense to a sexual harassment lawsuit is a thorough investigation by Human Resources coupled with appropriate disciplinary action against the alleged harasser if a complaint is established and well-founded. An employer should possess a thoughtful and strong sexual harassment policy with a clear complaint mechanism that allows the complaining employee to bypass an alleged harasser if need be, that has been disseminated amongst its employees. If these procedures are implemented and followed, employers are adequately prepared to defend sexual harassment claims.
Where a sexual harassment complaint has been made, a thorough investigation coupled with appropriate disciplinary action, if complaint is established, is an employer's best defense to sexual harassment lawsuits. When combined with a good, well-disseminated sexual harassment policy with a clear complaint mechanism that by-passes that alleged harasser, employers are adequately prepared to defend harassment claims.