M7D1: Sexual Harassment Policies
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Upon completion of this activity, you will be able to:

Evaluate the sexual harassment policy of an organization.
Identify the major issues of sexual harassment in the workplace.

For Web Exercise #4, you have been asked to visit the website of a company with a posted sexual harassment policy.

In this context, respond to the following:

Identify the company that you selected, and provide a brief overview of your evaluation of the policy.
Does the policy define sexual harassment and address the following issues?
Identification of prohibited behaviors
Identification of parties covered by the policy
Instructions for reporting a claim
Description of investigation steps
Inclusion of a non-retaliation statement
Inclusion of a list of consequences for those in violation of the policy
Inclusion of a statement regarding training

Post your primary response. Be sure to review your writing for grammar and spelling before posting.

Read any postings already provided by your instructor or fellow students.

Remember to read the feedback to your own major postings and reply to it throughout the module.

See the rubric for due dates for posts and responses.

Keep the following points in mind:

The major issues of sexual harassment are accurately identified and explained with pertinent examples.
The selected sexual harassment policy is accurately explained and evaluated.

Consult the Discussion Posting Guide for information about writing your discussion posts. It is recommended that you write your post in a document first. Check your work and correct any spelling or grammatical errors. When you are ready to make your initial post, click “Reply.” Then copy/paste the text into the message field, and click “Post Reply.”

To respond to a peer, click “Reply” beneath her or his post and continue as with an initial post.

Evaluation

This discussion will be graded using the discussion board rubric. Please review this rubric, located on the Rubrics page within the Start Here module of the course, prior to beginning your work to ensure your participation meets the criteria in place for this discussion. All discussions combined are worth 25% of your final course grade.

Expert Answer

Sexual Harassment Policies

Sexual Harassment Policy – US Department of State

The US Department of State has a well laid-out sexual harassment policy on its official website (U.S. Department of State, n.d.). The policy begins with the definition of what sexual harassment is and even provides a list of examples of actions that constitute sexual harassment. The policy goes on to list the institution’s responsibilities under the policy, the rights and responsibilities of employees under the policy, and contact information that can be used to report any sexual harassment complaints. The US Department of State does not condone sexual harassment and strongly advocates against it. According to the information provided on the website, sexual harassment is defined as “Unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature constitute sexual harassment when: an employment decision affecting that individual is made because the individual submitted to or rejected the unwelcome conduct; or the unwelcome conduct unreasonably interferes with an individual’s work performance or creates an intimidating, hostile, or abusive work environment” (U.S. Department of State, n.d.).

The prohibited behaviors are listed down, including “Sexual pranks, or repeated sexual teasing, jokes, or innuendo, in person or via e-mail; verbal abuse of a sexual nature; and touching or grabbing of a sexual nature” (U.S. Department of State, n.d.). The parties covered by the policy are all employees of the US Department of State, and the procedure for reporting sexual harassment provided, including contacts through which employees can report. The steps for investigation are not listed, but the punishment for offenders is explained: “…ranging from a letter of reprimand through suspensions without pay of varying lengths to separation for cause” (U.S. Department of State, n.d.). A non-retaliation statement is given, including a stern warning to employees to ensure that they abide by the policy, but there is no statement regarding training.

References

U.S. Department of State. (n.d.). Sexual Harassment Policy. Retrieved February 25, 2019, from            https://www.state.gov/s/ocr/c14800.htm