Sexual Harassment At Work

Q: I have been working for this firm for past 6 years. At first I tried to ignore the fact that this person (office manager hereinafter "MAN") is sexually harassing all my past receptionists including myself. I have mentioned "the problem" to my boss, however MAN never stopped his bad behavior. Over the year, I told MAN that he should stopped his harassment. He said "no one can harm me and only person will be harm is our boss." Every time, MAN started his almost daily harassment I became very defensive (physically and verbally). I am currently looking for a new employment to get away from this MAN. Because of MAN, I loss a lot of good co-workers / friends. His behavior is unacceptable. He thinks he could get away with it. I have a lot of eye witnesses but no physical evidence (video or tape recording of conversation). I am afraid that he will retaliates and/or put a block on my future career advancement. My friends and I felt very help less. Only solution was ....find another job. We have new receptionist in our office and MAN already started his smooth mild harassment . We need advise what to do about this serious issue.

A: Say what? Aside from talking to the guy doing the harassment, over a period of six years, you have ONCE "mentioned" to your boss that there was a "problem" ?? Does your workplace have any posted procedures, or procedures in your workplace employee's manual, about how to report sexual harassment? Have you followed those procedures? An employer's failure to promptly investigate and stop sexual harassment can result in large damage awards as the law firm of Baker & McKenzie

learned when a secretary who worked for them a mere 25 days was awarded $7.1 million (reduced to $3.8 million) in punitive damages. That's admittedly an extreme example. You should follow your workplace procedures in reporting the harassment. You should start keeping a log of this person's inappropriate comments and behavior -- exactly what was said and done, when, where, the context, and who was present. Keep this log "just the facts," with NO editorial comments or characterizations, even calling him "MAN." Don't put anything in the log that you wouldn't want read out loud in court. If matters aren't promptly resolved, contact the EEOC and/or a labor law attorney.