Ways Sexual Harassment Can Impact Your Business

Sexual harassment in the workplace is a real epidemic. As this issue sweeps across the nation, it should be top of mind as a business owner. Have you ever thought how a sexual harassment case could impact your daily work life? If you aren't thinking about this, it may be time to do so. As your experienced lawyer at the Lake of the Ozarks, we know how damaging a case like this can be for your business morale. Take a look below to check out the various ways an issue like this can impact your business life.

Lower Company Morale 

If a sexual harassment incident occurs, it can put a damper on the morale around your office. Employees may feel like the work environment isn't a safe place. This can lead to distracted workers, therefore a loss of productivity. A person who experiences a sexual harassment advance may let others know about the occurrence and the un-safe feeling may spread throughout your company.

Open Your Business to Lawsuit

Prompt action is required on behalf of the business owner or supervisor if you learn of a sexual harassment situation. It's important to have a conversation with all involved parties to set the tone for action that will be taken if the harassment continues. Ensure you have an open door policy for employees to report inappropriate behavior in the workplace. If you do have an employee experience sexual harassment in the workplace, legal advice can help you work through the situation to better protect your business. 

Lose Dedicated Workers

If an employee is harassed at work, they may start to dislike their job and/or work environment. Many times harassment goes unreported, therefore the behavior does not change. This can create a hostile work environment which is damaging for employees. An employee may be more apt to leave the company if they are being sexually harassed while working. You can easily lose a hard worker if they are uncomfortable when they come to work.

Tips for Handling Sexual Harassment Claims:

• Have an open door policy for employees to report any harassment they experience.
• Provide regular training on sexual harassment and go over the punishment for such action. 
• Take swift action if a sexual harassment case is reported. 
• Set the precedent if you have a report of sexual harassment in the workplace. 

Now that you know HOW your business may be impacted by a sexual harassment claim, you're ready to make changes in your daily work life to avoid this issue. If you discover a sexual harassment case has occurred at your business, ensure you take the right legal actions in a timely manner. Contact Gibbons Law Firm to learn how you can take swift action to help protect your business. Remember, your first consultation with our Lake of the Ozarks law firm is free!

Remember, your initial consultation with Gibbons Law Firm is always free.

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Gibbons Law Firm

2820 Bagnell Dam Blvd, Suite B4

Lake Ozark, MO 65049

(573) 348-2211

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The Dangers of Sexual Harassment in the Workplace

Sexual harassment is a major epidemic sweeping the nation. It's important to know how to handle a situation, should one arise within your business. Often times, an employee may feel like they cannot share their experience with a manager or owner for fear of retaliation or a stigma that may follow such allegations. As a business owner at the Lake of the Ozarks, it's vital to the safety of all employees that you have a strict sexual harassment policy. Ensure all employees are aware of the consequences of such actions and do repeated training on the topic to keep it top of mind for your employees. As your knowledgeable attorney at the Lake of the Ozarks, we want to help protect your business from the potential threat of sexual harassment. If you don't take action against the potential for sexual harassment in advance, you may suffer from one or more of the consequences below.

Loss of Employee

If an employee is uncomfortable due to sexual harassment in the workplace, they may choose to leave the business. As a business owner, you may not even be aware of the situation that causes them to end their employment with you. Losing an employee is costly for a business. Time training a new employee and experience lost from a former employee all take time to recover from. Don't suffer an unnecessary loss of an employee due to a sexual harassment situation in the workplace in which they were not comfortable reporting.

Low Morale

An employee may stick it out with your business even if they do experience sexual harassment at work. This can cause low morale and a negative attitude (which can spread like wildfire). It's important to keep the morale up at your company to help employees feel comfortable and thrive in a positive environment.

Distracted Employees

If an employee has been in a sexual harassment situation at work, they may be distracted. Whether they are always keeping an eye out for the person who harassed them or can't stop thinking about the native situation, they may lose focus of the work at hand. Production may suffer if an employee is distracted due to a sexual harassment occurrence.

Potential Lawsuit

If nothing is done about a sexual harassment situation, the victim may have grounds to sue the employer. If you do know about a harassment that has taken place at work, it's important to act quickly. Gather all the information possible and make a decision off of the facts. Also document all conversations well to help protect your business.

Now that you've learned just a few of the potential dangers of sexual harassment in the workplace, you can prepare your staff if a situation should arise. Our Lake of the Ozarks law firm is here to help if you do have a sexual harassment situation in your workplace. Whether you are the victim seeking representation or you are the business owner trying to protect your venture, our sexual harassment attorney at the Lake of the Ozarks can help represent your case. Give Gibbons Law Firm a call today and don't forget that your first consultation with us is always free!

Remember, your initial consultation with Gibbons Law Firm is always free.

Your Trusted Legal Resource

Gibbons Law Firm

2820 Bagnell Dam Blvd, Suite B4

Lake Ozark, MO 65049

(573) 348-2211

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How to Identify Sexual Harassment in the Workplace

Sexual harassment is a major challenge the workforce across America faces. This problem can have negative and lasting impact on the culture of your business. Everyone in your company can be affected by sexual harassment, from employees to the HR department to the business owner. The negative impacts not only affect your workforce, it can lead to legal consequences too. Sexual harassment should not be taken lightly and needs to be addressed right away to avoid lasting negative impacts.

It is essential that you be on the lookout for sexual harassment around your business, especially as a business owner. Action is required right away to help mitigate the situation and set an example to repair any damage that has been done to employee moral or security. Our Lake of the Ozarks attorney can help your business deal with a sexual harassment issue, should one arise within your workplace. It's important to create a safe and healthy environment for your employees and customers. A sexual harassment attorney at the Lake of the Ozarks can help if you experience a situation like this within your company.

What is Sexual Harassment?

Harassment in the workplace or other professional social setting that involves the making of unwanted sexual advances or obscene remarks is known as sexual harassment. There are several different forms of sexual harassment and can occur in a variety of situations. Sexual harassment is illegal and punishable by law, therefore, it's important for businesses to be aware of any harassment situation that is going on in the workplace. Women and men of all ages can be subject to sexual harassment advances. Not all sexual harassment involves physical contact - anytime a supervisor or employee is making another employee free uncomfortable in a sexual nature, sexual harassment is present. It's a good idea to train your employees to easily identify this type of harassment and let them know the company's policy on such acts. Swift action is required, should your business have a case of sexual harassment.

Types of Sexual Harassment:

Two primary forms of sexual harassment in the workplace are hostile work environment and quid pro quo. When an individual is made to feel uncomfortable in the workplace, it is known as a hostile work environment. This type of harassment does not have to involved any physical contact, although sometimes it does. Sexual or offensive jokes, images, and/or conversations can all be found under the hostile work environment category of sexual harassment. A quid pro quo category stems from a situation wherein the decision to hire, promote, or fire an individual is based upon their willingness to perform sexual favors or submit to sexual advances. Both types of sexual harassment are illegal, but are unfortunately common in the workforce today.

Identifying Sexual Harassment:

This type of harassment can take on a variety of different forms. Below are common examples of ways it can present itself in the workplace:
- Using pet names or inappropriate terms when referring to a coworker or employee.
- Making inappropriate noises (whistling, cat-calling, etc.).
- Giving a shoulder or neck massage to another individual in the office.
- Speaking provocatively or insultingly about someone's appearance.
- Touching someone inappropriately.
- Requesting sexual favors.
- Discussing sex or sexual acts with a coworker.
- Showing photographs or sexual objects to a fellow employee.
- Kissing, hugging, pinching, or grabbing another person in the workplace.
- Threatening someone's position within the company if they refuse sexual advances.

It's important to address a sexual harassment right away. If you notice any of the above signs or behaviors talk with your supervisor, Human Resources department, and/or attorney as soon as possible. Gibbons Law Firm is here to help! Our legal professional can help defend your sexual harassment case and present your side of the situation. For more information about our legal services at the Lake of the Ozarks, give our law firm a call at 573-348-2211 and remember your first consultation is always FREE!


Remember, your initial consultation with Gibbons Law Firm is always free.

Your Trusted Legal Resource

Gibbons Law Firm

2820 Bagnell Dam Blvd, Suite B4

Lake Ozark, MO 65049

(573) 348-2211

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No attorney-client relationship is created by the publication of this blog.

Identifying Sexual Harassment in the Workplace

Sexual harassment is one of the biggest challenges our workforce faces. It is a problem that affects everyone, from business owners to HR managers to employees. It ruins a company's culture faster than almost anything else. Its negative impacts are not just personnel-based - it can also have legal consequences that can affect the entire company.

In order to protect your interests as a business owner and employer, it is essential that you be on the lookout for sexual harassment and to quickly reprimand any behavior that begins to blur lines. As an employee, it is equally important that you remain alert - if you feel that you are at risk of being sexually harassed, it is important that you seek help before the problem has a chance to get out of control. In order to help both employers and employees in these endeavors, our Lake of the Ozarks law firm is dedicating this week's blog to identifying sexual harassment in the workplace. 

About Sexual Harassment

Sexual harassment occurs in a variety of different situations and takes on several different forms. It is illegal and punishable by law. It is important to recognize that while certain stereotypes abound, sexual harassment is not limited to certain people or certain situations. Women as well as men and younger people as well as older people are equally capable of committing sexual harassment. As a general rule, you can avoid sexual harassment allegations by keeping your workplace devoid of all things of a sexual nature. Even joking conversations have no place in a business setting - someone who is offended by the nature of the joke may be able to press charges even if the joke was originally intended to be innocent.

Types of Sexual Harassment in the Workplace

Specifically, federal law recognizes two primary forms of sexual harassment in the workplace: Hostile Work Environment and Quid Pro Quo. 

• A Hostile Work Environment is created when an individual (or group of individuals) are made to feel uncomfortable in their workplace. While it certainly can include actual sexual advances, it does not have to involve anything physical. Hostile Work Environment also refers to sexual and/or offensive jokes, conversations, pictures, or objects.
• Quid Pro Quo describes a "tit for tat" situation wherein decisions regarding hiring, promoting, or firing individuals becomes contingent upon their willingness to perform sexual favors or submit to sexual advances.

Though they are illegal, both of these types of sexual harassment are unfortunately relatively common in today's workplace. 

Identifying Sexual Harassment

As we discussed earlier, sexual harassment can take on a variety of different forms. Here are some examples of some of the ways it commonly manifests:

• Using inappropriate terms or pet names to refer to a coworker or employee.
• Giving an unwanted shoulder or neck massage.
• Touching someone inappropriately (brushing up against them, placing a hand on their shoulder/back, etc).
• Discussing sex or sexual acts.
• Kissing, hugging, pinching, or grabbing an employee or coworker.
• Speaking provocatively or insultingly about someone's clothing, weight, or appearance.
• Making inappropriate sexual noises (whistling, cat-calling, etc).
• Requesting sexual favors.
• Inquiring about someone's sexual history.
• Displaying photographs or objects of a sexual nature.
• Threatening to fire someone if they refuse sexual advances.

If you notice any of these signs or behaviors, talk to your supervisor, HR manager, or attorney right away.

Our Law Firm Is Here To Help

If you are involved in a sexual harassment situation, you may require the assistance of an attorney at the Lake of the Ozarks. If you are facing sexual harassment allegations, our legal team can defend you. If you are the victim of sexual harassment or assault, we can help protect your rights and ensure that you receive the compensation you deserve. For more information about our legal services in Mid-Missouri, call Gibbons Law Firm at (573) 348-2211.

Your Trusted Legal Resource

Gibbons Law Firm

4075 Osage Beach Parkway, Suite 300

Osage Beach, MO 65065

(573) 348-2211

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No attorney-client relationship is created by the publication of this blog.