It’s Not Just About Sex Anymore™
Harassment and Discrimination in the Workplace
There is far more to workplace harassment and discrimination than just sex. To demonstrate, this program dramatizes employee behaviors that lead to formal charges and result in serious consequences for the individuals involved.
It is an eye-opening experience for everyone in the organization to discover what is/is not acceptable in today's workplace and what their responsibilities are concerning harassment.
About The Program
It seems as if the EEO and the courts expand the definition of harassment and discrimination every day. In this changing environment it's difficult to know--or understand--what's allowed and what's not allowed at work. This training program breaks ground by dramatically illustrating:
- The ever expanding range of behaviors that create a hostile work environment
- The differences between free speech at work and protected speech in public
- The consequences for individuals who exhibit unacceptable behavior
- The legal threats that companies or organizations can encounter
After completing the Workshop, participants will know:
- Why harassment and discrimination hurt everyone
- The wide range of behaviors that can constitute harassment and discrimination and the areas where people and organizations cannot discriminate
- That free speech rights don’t apply at work
- When harassment can become discrimination or “tangible employment action” and the implications
- That everyone has the right to work in an environment free from harassment and discrimination
Harassment or discriminating behaviors covered include:
- Age discrimination in a technological era
- Intolerance towards people who exhibit mental illness
- Subtle harassment of foreign-born individuals or those practicing non-mainstream religions
- Attempts to convert others to a particular religion
- Making fun of an overweight coworker
- Harassment of pregnant women
The Details
Target Audience: All Employees
Course Length: 1.5 - 2.5 Hour Options
Video Length: 20 Minutes
Pricing: $895 USB Program & Print Materials
Also Available: eLearning Classic course, streaming video and electronic licensing
Languages Available: English, Spanish and more coming soon!
Video Vignettes From This Program
We can’t listen to whatever we want at work if it offends others; while we do have more freedom to say or do things outside the workplace, we still need to keep in mind that if our behavior offends or discriminates against someone, then it may be grounds for disciplinary action. We all must be respectful of others in the workplace.
It can be one thing to casually invite someone to attend religious services with you, or to occasionally mention a religious belief or practice. But when you repeatedly and openly talk about your religious beliefs, or proselytize, to the point that it offends a co-worker, you can easily be accused of harassment.
Discussions with co-workers that ridicule or disrespect anyone because of a protected class status can be offensive and lead to an accusation of discriminatory harassment. Insensitive remarks about an overweight co-worker can lead to the perception of harassment.
Learning Programs (SCORM Compatible Courses)
Harassment & Discrimination Prevention
Updated with the US Supreme Court decision protecting LGBTQ+ workers! In the ever-changing work environment, it's difficult to know--or understand--what's allowed and what's not allowed at work. Using this new course, bring greater awareness to the many types of harassment which can occur in the workplace. Use with employees organization-wide for annual training or new employee orientation.
Harassment Prevention
Professional & Compliant Behavior
Using dramatic examples in white and blue collar, hospitality, health care and retail settings, this program will protect your organization by communicating everyone's legal responsibilities towards harassment and discrimination.
Harassment Prevention
It’s Not Just About Sex Anymore™: Harassment and Discrimination in the Workplace
There is far more to workplace harassment and discrimination than just sex. To demonstrate, this program dramatizes employee behaviors that lead to formal charges and result in serious consequences for the individuals involved.
Discrimination
Discrimination occurs when a person or group of people are treated differently from another person or group of people due to a protected status.
Harassment
Harassment means to trouble, worry or torment someone on a persistent basis due to a protected status. There are three types of harassment:
- Verbal – includes things said, written or inappropriate sounds
- Physical – includes hitting, pushing, blocking someone’s way, leering, inappropriate touching
- Visual – includes calendars, pictures, graffiti, emails, any document containing unlawful content and any object that represents unlawful content that can be clearly seen
Hostile Work Environment
A hostile work environment occurs when inappropriate behavior is so severe or pervasive that it is intimidating, is hostile or abusive to a reasonable person and makes it difficult to function on the job.
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has stated that all employees have a right to work in an environment free from unlawful discrimination and harassment.
Protected Classes
Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, sex, religion, national origin, color and pregnancy. In addition, depending on where you live, it can be illegal to harass and/or discriminate against someone based on, among other things, the following:
- Age
- Disability (including obesity)
- Military Membership or Veteran Status
- Sexual Orientation or Gender Identity
- Transsexuals or Cross-dressing
- Political Affiliation
- Criminal Record
- Prior Psychiatric Treatment
- Citizenship Status
- Personal Appearance
- Education
- Tobacco Use Outside of Work
- Receipt of Public Assistance
- Dishonorable Discharge from the Military
- Wage Garnishments
Do the Right Thing: The Four Rs
This tool will help you remember the broad steps for taking accountability and action when encountering uncomfortable situations in the workplace.
Following the four Rs will help you get better at handling negative situations and addressing minor concerns immediately rather than letting them escalate.
Recognize
- Spot behaviors that could be offensive and/or against the law.
- Notice a situation that could constitute harassment or discrimination.
Reflect
- Look at the bigger picture.
- Avoid making assumptions when employee treatment or decisions could be strictly based in performance.
- Don't overreact with little or no information about a situation.
- Raise concerns whenever in doubt.
Respond
- React appropriately when you are the target, or become aware of someone who is the target, of harassment or discrimination.
- Always follow the organization's policies and procedures for reporting the situation.
- Consider options, such as:
- Talk to the perpetrator.
- Talk to the perpetrator's boss.
- Report the behavior to employee relations or human resources.
- Encourage the target to speak up and seek help.
- Talk to your own boss about the situation.
- Call the company-sponsored compliance reporting phone line (if one exists).
Respect
- Always treat coworkers with respect.
- If you are a target of inappropriate behaviors and choose to address the perpetrator, you should do so by:
- Be specific about the conduct that bothers you to help others understand exactly what they can do to change their behavior.
- Stay calm.
- Don't be judgmental or argumentative.
- Use phrases such as, "I don't like it when... ," "I feel offended when you make statements about . . . " or "Please stop acting in that way towards me as it makes me uncomfortable."