A Case Study on Sexual Harassment in the Workplace

Running Head: SEXUAL HARASSMENT A Case Study on Sexual Harassment in the Workplace Tami Oostema Prepared for Davenport University Online English 110: Advanced Composition October 13, 2011 Executive Summary The case involves a woman named Paula who is being sexually harassed by a coworker named Richard at her place of employment. Paula is new to the company. She has only been employed there for three months. When Paula looked in the employee’s handbook, she discovered that the company did not have a sexual harassment policy. Paula’s manager, Steve, asked her to investigate what could be done about this problem. Paula has several options. She can ignore the situation and hope it goes away, she could confront the†¦show more content†¦Jury awards frequently reach $500,000, including punitive damages (Bowman, n.d.). The EEOC has been handling over 10,000 cases of sexual harassment every year (see Figure 2, p.12). A company has an obligation to ensure that its employees do not have to work in a hostile environment. It is important that a company has procedures in place to prevent sexual harassment. Alternative Solutions Ignore the Problem Paula has several options on what to do about the sexual harassment issue she is having. One option would be for her to ignore the problem and hope it goes away. This solution would probably not be good because the problem has been going on for about a month now and is not likely to stop if the problem is not addressed. Confront the Wrongdoer A second option would be for Paula to confront Richard herself and let him know that he is making her uncomfortable and that it is affecting her work. This solution may work if Richard chooses to respect her feelings. However, it also has the potential to backfire on Paula and make things worse for her if Richard is actually enjoying making her uncomfortable. Quit the Job Another option would be for Paula to quit her job and find employment elsewhere. However, it may be difficult for her to find a new job and she should not have to leave a job she likes because of the wrongful actions of another employee. Richard’s behavior is unlawful and completely inappropriate and should be addressed by theShow MoreRelatedEssay about Sexual Harassment in the Workplace1307 Words   |  6 Pages Obviously, it is a very natural thing for men and women to be attracted to each other in sexual ways. Men, more than women, have been historically known to be far more aggressive in their advances toward women sexually and it varies from each woman as to how these aggressive advances make them feel. Advances such as whistling, bottom pinching and glaring are the types of things some men do to women in an attempt to show they are sexually attracted to them. 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