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 & DISCRIMINATION

RULES, INVESTIGATION

AND AVOIDANCE

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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

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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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