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Alert |
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Bloom & Buell's |
|
Alert |
|
Bloom & Buell's |
On November 1, 1996, (15+ employees) or on January 1, 1997 (6-14 employees) Massachusetts Law will require that each business or workplace have a sexual harassment policy provided to workers, to read (and heed).
For those of our readers who haven't quite gotten around to it yet, the following should be a start:
OUR SEXUAL HARASSMENT POLICY
This company recognizes and affirms a policy of providing equal employment opportunity to all qualified persons. There shall be no discrimination against qualified applicants or employees on the basis of race, gender, nationality, disability, religion, age or veteran's status.
It also the position of our company to provide a workplace environment that is free from sexual harassment in the form of unsolicited and unwelcome remarks with sexual overtones, or written, verbal, or physical contact of a sexual nature. In other words, sexual harassment in this workplace is unlawful and will not be tolerated.
Sexual harassment includes:
One who continues to express sexual interest in another after being informed that that interest is unwelcome and is not reciprocated.
One who explicitly or implicitly suggests that continued employment or promotion, change of assignment, or preventing a negative performance review may depend on either acceptance or delivery of sexual favors.
One who make reprisals or threats of reprisals for not accepting an unwelcome advance or who engages in implicit or explicit coercive sexual behavior used to control, influence or affect the career, salary, and/or work environment of another employee.
It is unlawful to retaliate against an employee for filing a complaint of sexual harassment or for cooperating in an investigation of such a complaint.
Employees found to have committed sexual harassment may be subject to being discharged, transferred, demoted, or placed on unpaid leave for a period of time.
To file a complaint about sexual harassment contact:
[here indicate the names, work addresses and phone numbers of the person(s) to whom complaints should be made]
OR
Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination, (617) 727-3990 at
1 Ashburton Place, Boston, MA 02108
OR
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, (617) 565-3200 at
1 Congress Street, Boston, MA 02114
This is very bare bones. For further details, contact an attorney who is familiar with the issues and concerns. There is a price that could be paid for failure to act, whether or not sexual harassment has ever been, or ever will be, a problem in your workplace.
This commentary is not intended as legal advice. For advice on a specific case, you should contact the attorneys directly. Pursuant to Rule 3:07 of the Supreme Judicial Court Rules of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, this communication may be considered advertising.
