FAQs Regarding Sexual Harassment in California
Before discussing the laws for sexual harassment in California we should go through some frequently asked questions in this regard.
What is sexual harassment?
Sex-related unwanted moves whether they are verbal, physical or visual are termed as per state regulations as the acts of Sexual Harassment. In this definition, many forms of harassments can be included whether they are gender-based, from the harasser of same-sex or based on offensive behaviors. Some of the behaviors that are prohibited under sexual harassment laws in California may include:
- Verbal behavior including using or making nicknames, insulting comments, jokes and disgraceful behaviors. Verbal graphic commentaries, verbal sexual ill-treatment, degrading someone with sexual words are some of the behavioral offenses that come in this category of sexual harassment.
- Visual behavior includes grinning at someone with sexual signals as well as a display of pictures, objects, posters or cartoons suggesting sexual activities.
- Physical behavior can include attacking, touching, blocking or obstructing access etc. Expecting sexual favor against employment benefits and threatening the individual for her negative reaction for sexual proceedings also come under sexual harassment due to physical behavior.
Shall employers provide some harassment training to their staff?
Yes, employers having minimum 50 employees including full time, part time, independent contractors and temporary employees should provide training at least for two hours once in a year or two the prevent sexual harassment at workplace. This harassment training should be provided within 6 months of the joining of the new employees. They should provide this training either through a live webinar or an interactive e-learning portal in a classroom setting.
What should be included in sexual harassment training?
Harassment training should include:
- The description of sexual harassment under the Title VII of the Federal Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Fair Employment and Housing Act
- The laws and cases regarding prevention and prohibition of sexual harassment
- The types of behaviors to be considered as sexual harassment
- The remedial measures for the sufferers of sexual harassment;
- Schemes to stop sexual harassment;
- Responsibilities of the supervisors against the report of harassment;
- Discussion on realistic cases of harassment;
- The extent of privacy for the process of a harassment complaint
- Correction of harassing behavior by the employers
- What if sexual harassment is done by a supervisor?
- Planning an effective policy to curb harassment and implementing it
In fact, such training should include a system to assess what the employees have learned and how much they have understood about skill-building activities and their applications. They should also discuss imaginary scenes of sexual harassment.
Photo Credot: Shutterstock/Dusan Petkovic