Sexual Harassment Training Classes
In our Sexual Harassment Awareness
training classes your employees will learn and apply
the important skills of handling sexual harassment issues
and complaints. This hands on class thoroughly addresses
the elements of how to
prevent unacceptable
behavior. The class includes a detailed
overview of what sexual
harassment is, explains legal definitions, discusses sexual
harassment prevention, and shows how to handle sexual
harassment complaints and maintain a positive work
environment.
For more information about individual sexual harassment
training classes please complete
this form. Once the form is received one of our
consultants will provide you with a confidential proposal
that will include a detailed description of the training
class and the costs for conducting it.
Sexual Harassment Training:
Sexual Harassment in the Federal Workplace - Is It a Problem
Executive Summary
This Executive Summary provides in condensed form a
summary of major recommendations and a review of the major
findings on the views of Federal employees about sexual
harassment, the extent of sexual harassment in the Federal
workplace, a description of characteristics of victims and
perpetrators of sexual harassment, a discussion of the
perceptions and responses of victims to their incidents of
sexual harassment, the impact of the behavior on the
victims and the estimated dollar cost of sexual harassment
to the Federal Government, and views of Federal employees
about potential remedies and their effectiveness.
The full Final Report represents the culmination of
approximately one year of original research and evaluation
of the nature and extent of sexual harassment in the
Federal Government. This study is the first scientifically
controlled survey of this depth and breadth ever to be
conducted on the subject of sexual harassment. To our
knowledge it is also the first of its kind to be conducted
with the full cooperation of the employer--in this case
the Federal Government.
The full report contains many recommendations that can be
implemented by agency heads quickly and at relatively
minimum cost. Copies of this study should be made
available to all agency personnel offices, training
officers, Equal Employment Opportunity officers and
Federal Women's Program managers, to aid implementation of
the recommendations.
Background
" Managers should be put on notice that a 'boys will be
boys' atmosphere will not be condoned in any Federal
agency. " James M. Hanley, former Chairman, Committee on
Post Office and Civil Service, U.S. House of
Representatives.
In recent years there has been growing discussion about
the existence of sexual harassment at the workplace. Some
maintain that it is an age-old problem, while others feel
that it is a relatively new phenomenon that has emerged as
more women enter the working world. There has been
controversy about what constitutes sexual harassment, how
widespread harassment is, and how serious its consequences
are for employee well-being and productivity.
Against this background, Chairman James M. Hanley and the
Subcommittee on Investigations of the Committee on Post
Office and Civil Service of the United States House of
Representatives conducted a preliminary investigation on
sexual harassment in October and November of 1979.
Although the investigation was limited to an examination
of 100 complaints, the findings were serious enough to
prompt the Subcommittee to ask the Merit Systems
Protection Board to conduct a thorough and scientific
survey of sexual harassment in the Federal workplace. The
Subcommittee wanted to find out if the results of their
limited investigation would be borne out by a more
extensive study.
The preliminary results of the MSPB study were presented
at follow-up hearings held by the House Subcommittee on
September 25, 1980. The preliminary briefing focused on
the series of questions mandated by the Subcommittee to be
addressed in the survey.
These were:
What kinds of behavior constitute sexual harassment? Do
the attitudes of men and women differ in this regard?
1. To what degree does sexual harassment occur within the
Federal workplace? What is the frequency? What are the
manifestations?
2. Are victims or perpetrators of sexual harassment found
in disproportionate numbers within certain agencies, job
classifications, geographic locations, racial categories,
age brackets, educational levels, grade levels, etc.?
3. What forms of express or implied lever age have been
used by harassers to reward or punish their victims?
4. What has been the impact of sexual harassment on its
victims in terms of job turnover, work performance,
physical and emotional condition, financial and career
well-being?
5. What effect has sexual harassment had on the morale or
productivity of the immediate work group?
6. Are victims of sexual harassment aware of available
remedies? Do they have confidence in those remedies?
Research Methodology
To develop the study, the MSPB's Office of Merit Systems
Review and Studies:
• surveyed the current literature on the subject of sexual
harassment,
• consulted with a group of community workers, academic
researchers, Federal officials, and a union representative
on the content of the study,
• reviewed applicable case law and Government regulations
and related policy directives, plans, and training
programs, and
• reviewed various case testimonies, Congressional
testimony, and previous research studies that had
addressed the subject of sexual harassment.
After extensive field testing on over 300 Federal
employees and after making numerous revisions, the
research team constructed a questionnaire designed to
elicit answers to questions in the Congressional mandate.
As directed by the House Subcommittee, the research team
prepared the questionnaire on the basis of the Office of
Personnel Management 's (OPM) definition of sexual
harassment, i.e., deliberate or repeated unsolicited
verbal comments, gestures or physical contact of a sexual
nature that is considered to be unwelcome by the
recipient.
With the assistance of OPM, a disproportionately
stratified random sample[1] was drawn from OPM 's Central
Personnel Data File (CPDF) consisting of civilian
employees in the Executive Branch. Four variables were
selected to stratify the population. These were: sex,
minority status, salary, and organization. Over 23,000 men
and women were surveyed in May 1980. Questionnaires were
sent to respondents' homes to preserve their
confidentiality and anonymity. The members of the sample
were asked to base most of their answers on their work
experience during the 24-month period from May 1978 to May
1980. A reminder postcard was sent one week later and a
follow-up questionnaire was sent to non respondents three
weeks after that. The rate of return of 85%--was
considerably higher than usually expected on mail
surveys.[2]
Explanations of Frequently Used Terms
Victims. In this executive summary, victims of sexual
harassment are defined as those respondents who indicated
(in either Survey Question 17 or Question 20) that they
had experienced one or more forms of sexual harassment on
the job during the preceding 24 months. All data is
computed on the basis of Question 17 except for those
parts of the Questionnaire where respondents were asked to
provide detailed data on one critical sexual harassment
incident. For questions involving this critical incident,
the data on victims was computed on the basis of Survey
Question 20. In the final report, the victims who chose to
describe their critical incident are referred to as
"narrator-victims."
Level of severity of sexual harassment. On the basis of
preliminary analysis, sexual harassment experiences
(identified by respondents to Survey Question 17 or
Question Survey 20) were classified as "most severe,"
"severe," or "less severe." Those considered "most severe"
--were actual or attempted rape or assault;
"severe"--included letters, phone calls or materials of a
sexual nature; pressure for sexual favors; and deliberate
touching, leaning over, cornering or pinching; and "less
severe" included pressure for dates; sexually suggestive
looks or gestures; and sexual teasing, jokes, remarks or
questions.
Findings
Summary
The following major findings emerged from the study:
• Both men and women Federal workers generally agree that
uninvited behaviors of a sexual nature constitute sexual
harassment.
• The incidence rate of sexual harassment in the Federal
workforce is widespread--42% of all female employees and
15% of all male employees reported being sexually
harassed.
• Many sexual harassment incidents occur repeatedly and
are of relatively long duration.
• The majority of Federal employees who had worked
elsewhere feel sexual harassment is no worse in the
Federal workplace than in state and local governments or
in the private sector.
• Sexual harassment is widely distributed among women and
men of various backgrounds, positions and locations;
however individuals with certain personal and
organizational characteristics are more likely to be
sexually harassed than others.
• The characteristics of harassers differ for women and
men victims--for example, women report almost always being
harassed by a man, whereas men report usually being
harassed by a woman.
• Many harassers are reported to have bothered more than
one victim at work.
• Few employees report having been accused of sexually
harassing others.
• Those who are sexually harassed by supervisors and those
who experience the more severe forms of sexual harassment
are more likely than other victims to foresee penalties or
possible benefits from the sexual harassment.
• Most victims neither anticipated nor receive adverse
consequences as a result of their sexual harassment,
although a sizeable minority did, particularly women.
• A number of informal actions were found by victims to be
effective in stopping sexual harassment, particularly the
most direct and assertive responses.
• Few victims pursue formal remedies, but many who do find
them helpful.
• The impact and cost of sexual harassment in dollars to
the Federal Government is sizeable--an estimated minimum
of $189 million over the 2-year period covered by the
study.
• Although their experiences do not change the careers and
work situations of most victims, a sizeable number of
women and men do leave their jobs or suffer adverse
consequences.
• Victims are more likely to think the sexual harassment
negatively affected their personal well-being or morale
than their work performance or that of their immediate
work group.
• Victims and supervisors are generally unaware of
available formal remedies and are skeptical about their
effectiveness.
• Assertive informal actions are thought to be the most
effective way employees can make others stop bothering
them sexually.
• Most victims and supervisors think there is much
management can do to reduce sexual harassment.
• In conclusion, the data show that sexual harassment is
widespread, is costly, deeply felt by many of the victims,
and that the 1979 Congressional investigation was
indicative of a significant problem; however, the data
also indicated that there is much that can be done to
reduce that problem.
Source: U.S. MSPB
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