Video Script

When and How to Identify Sexual Harassment in the Workplace

When we talk about the topic of sexual harassment in the workplace, the usual response is something
along the lines of “everyone knows what sexual harassment is” or “do we just have to watch everything
we say now?”

“image of eye roll”

Because of this being the common reaction to sexual harassment trainings, this is why we as a company
have been failing to properly identify, and take appropriate action when our employees come to us as
leaders about something or someone that makes them uncomfortable in the workplace. I’m going to ask
you this, and I want you to answer to yourself honestly. If your employee came to you and said they
were being touched without their consent by a coworker, or spoken to in a way by a coworker that
makes them uneasy, what would be the first thing you, as a leader, would do?

“play loud jackhammer sound with visual aid”

If you answered anything besides, “Notify HR”, that is an issue, and that is why we are here.

“real court document showing millions of dollars in damages from lost sexual harassment case appears
on screen”

I would like for everyone to look over the slide for a moment. This is a real court document depicting a
sexual harassment case that did not rule in the employers favor. Organizations are liable for thousands,
even millions of dollars in damages when it can be proven that the employee went to their direct
supervisor, reported the harassment, nothing was done to resolve the issue, and the employee
continued to get harassed, or had to resign because that’s how they saw the only way out.

“short news clip of me too movement plays”

With the rise of the #metoo movement, we saw, in a 11 month time span, a 12 percent increase in
sexual harassment complaints compared to the year before. If we refer back to the usual response of
“oh wow do we just have to watch whatever we say now?” Well, the simple answer is of course you do.
Because of the impact of this movement, people are coming back after years and years to finally file
their complaints, and rightfully so. Because for so long sexual harassment complaints were swept under
the rug, and seen as someone being overly sensitive but now they know they have a voice.

“images of work professionals wearing tight clothing appears”

Let’s go through just the basics right now. If you see a coworker, female OR male, wearing tight clothing,
it’s ok to comment on how hot or sexy those clothes make them look?

“buzzer sound”

NO. It is never appropriate to comment on a coworkers body.

“image of coworkers mingling and everyone seems to be laughing/comfortable”

Here’s another. If you and a group of coworkers are in a group laughing and making jokes, it’s ok to
make jokes about sex.

“neutral buzzer sound more like a beep”

Well, it could be, it couldn’t be. At this moment, I would like to assume that someone is able to read the
room and decipher if making that joke around these coworkers is acceptable. Most of the time, it might
be fine, but you never know when someone will be uncomfortable with it. When someone gets
uncomfortable they will notify their supervisor and then all of a sudden there’s an investigation. It’s best
to avoid these all together.

“image of younger female employee talking with older male coworker”

It is ok for the older male employee to say inappropriate statements of sexual nature to a young female
employee because sometimes she is flirty.

“loud buzzer sound”

NO. Often times supervisors will try to defend their employee that’s being accused of harassment by
saying, “well he/she was flirty” about the person accusing them. Even if it were true, it DOES NOT
MATTER. That person is now uncomfortable and now there is an investigation.

So the question of “when is something considered sexual harassment?” can be answered by recognizing
these red flags

“image of red siren appears”

When an employee says the words “uncomfortable”, it is now a sexual harassment complaint. When an
employee comes to you and doesn’t know how to express their feelings, but all they can say is this
person is touching them without their consent, it is now a sexual harassment complaint. When an
employee says they cannot focus on their daily tasks because this person keeps making sex jokes or
remarks, it is now a sexual harassment complaint. As leaders, you must be able to identify when
something needs to be escalated, and when appropriate action must be taken.