Sexual Harassment Investigation
HRinGA
412 Posts
What a way to start a Monday! Female employee comes in for exit interview and confides that a male co-worker had been harassing her. Inappropriate touching, language, etc. She confided an another female EE who admitted he did the same things to her. She told him to stop and he did, so her advice to this EE was tell him to stop. So she did, and he left her alone. Well, last day of employment, he makes vulgar comments to her, so I'm guessing that's what prompted her to confide in us now.
Moving along, he, of course, denies it. I am sending him home while we talk to other female workers in the department. I can't imagine keeping this guy. Management agrees he should go. I have his word against two female EE's, one of whom no longer works here. Female EE's are good employees. I may get more info from others over the next few days.
Any words of wisdom here?
Moving along, he, of course, denies it. I am sending him home while we talk to other female workers in the department. I can't imagine keeping this guy. Management agrees he should go. I have his word against two female EE's, one of whom no longer works here. Female EE's are good employees. I may get more info from others over the next few days.
Any words of wisdom here?
Comments
Continue the suspension until you have interviewed everyone men and women co-workers. Get their written statements and do not let him come back to work until you are satisfied that he is innocent of all claims by both of the employees. If he is believed to be guilty, I would attempt to get the first employee back on the job. At least have it in written format that you offered her re-instatement and back wages that she lost resulting from the guys stupidity.
PORK
What's "innappropriate touching"? I have had ee's complain about someone who "brushes against" them in a way that they don't like. At the same time, I see ee's tickling eachother, giving bearhugs, etc... The ee who looks like Brad Pitt can hug and touch all he wants but the guy who looks like Barney Fife is always "creeping" the rest out.
Conduct your investigation but avoid any judgement until all the facts are in. The testimony of a couple of ee's who never bothered to report the incidents to HR isn't enough to warrant a termination.
Your interviews may colloborate the allegations and then you can decide what response is appropriate but until then, the ee deserves an impartial investigation.
I just wish she had come to us sooner. I can't fix it if I don't know it's broken!
Ok, that's way beyond the unwanted hand on the knee or brushing up against someone. That's very serious and could be prosecuted criminally.
Did he do this to both ee's?
What do you mean by "Management has checked out on this guy."? Do you mean, they just want him gone ASAP?
My only saving grace is the current EE who states he bothered her, too. Although, not to that extent. We can document that incident and move forward from there.
He will either read between the lines and leave, or he will shape up and be on a long journey back to regaining the trust and confidence of the company.
I wish I could divulge the details, but I can't. I will say all is not what it seems. The waters were so muddy by the time we finished that it was hard to tell truth from fiction. They all lost credibility with me. I felt like we had 4 key players, none of whom were completely truthful and I found out wayyyy toooo much personal info. We had them all re-read and sign our sexual harassment policy and told them that if "any of them looked any anybody even remotely sideways" they would be terminated. I honestly don't think they thought we would take things as seriously as we did. I was so frustrated that I had invested so much of my time on this. I hope we scared them all straight! Thanks for letting my vent.
> I will say all is not what it seems. The waters
>were so muddy by the time we finished that it
>was hard to tell truth from fiction. They all
>lost credibility with me.
Funny how often it takes that turn. Guess that only goes to prove Paul's point a few posts back: Maintain neutrality and objectivity to the bitter end, and don't pre-judge anything. Chances are it'll only get weirder as you go. The departing ee who didn't want to say except that it didn't factor into her reasons for leaving got my suspicion level up. Sometimes that means the person was an equal and willing participant in the slap-n-tickle games.
I recall there were two female ee's and a male harasser (alleged). Somehow a fourth joined the group.
Slap-n-tickle? Isn't that a country western dance?
Question: If someone at work touched you innappropriately, and I mean very bad, would you still be friends with that person? i.e. call that person, go to lunch together, ride in a car together? Do you get my drift?
From what I hear there is pervasive intimidation to accept this kind of behavior in the high schools, and has been for at least 10 years. If so, and if your employees have only been out of high school for a few years, they may still have the notion that they have to put up with it or be social outcasts or worse.
I have heard some really hair-raising stories about what kind of allowances are expected by girls at the high school level (and it is beginning to trickle down to middle schools). We need to make sure that kind of socialization doesn't come into our work place. It wouldn't hurt to try to help turn the tides at a younger age either.
Like Balloonman, just my $.02.
Nae
During the investigation I was astounded by how many girls (all 18-19) he had harassed but had never contacted a supervisor or HR.
Eventually, I came to realize that 18-19 year old definition of what is innappropriate is different from mine (36 year old). They also are very protective of eachother meaning they won't hand over someone to an authority figure even if that person is behaving badly and needs to be dealt with.
I had to repeatedly tell them, "No, you don't have to allow someone to touch you in a way that makes you feel uncomfortable."
If you employ teens and early twenties, you can't just sit back and wait for them to come to you with complaints.