This is a common issue faced by working women all the time. Roughly one-fifth of men polled by the New York Times admitted that they occasionally told “sexual jokes” or engaged in “harassing behaviors.” That’s why it’s helpful to know how to shut those kinds of comments down. Here are three options:
Communicate that you find the comment inappropriate and offensive. For example, you can say, "I don't appreciate that kind of comment; it's not appropriate.” Then simply walk away. That simultaneously establishes your boundaries and diffuses the situation so that you can address it later, in a less heated moment.
The speaker knows that they’re being inappropriate – and they want you to engage with them. You can deprive them of any satisfaction and (probably) make them deeply uncomfortable by responding with absolute silence. Stop whatever you are doing, look at them directly and say nothing at all until you are ready to resume your work or the conversation you were having before their comment.
This is particularly effective with innuendo and suggestive comments, which are designed to “skirt the line” so they can be passed off as “jokes” if anybody complains. Turn to the speaker and say, “I don’t understand. What do you mean?” and keep repeating some variation of that comment as they struggle to explain. The joke usually stops being funny once the speaker is forced to spell things out.
Finally, you have every right to a harassment-free workplace. Address your concerns with management. If the company fails to put a stop to the harassment, it may be time to seek information about your additional legal options
]]>Retaliation, which encompasses any adverse employment action taken in response to a protected action, shouldn’t ever be allowed. It’s crucial for employers to understand what constitutes retaliation so they can prevent it.
Certain events, such as instances of safety violations, harassment and discrimination, are deplorable. Employees should be able to let their supervisors know when any of those occur. They should even be able to speak freely to governing authorities. Retaliation against those employees for the purpose of punishing them for speaking up is always illegal.
Retaliation doesn’t always have to be obvious. While you may automatically think of actions, such as demotions or termination, more subtle retaliation is possible. These can be things like sending the employee to a less desirable location or shift. It can also involve writing a negative performance review.
It’s important to note that disciplining employees who participate in protected actions isn’t immune from normal disciplinary procedures. The key here is that the discipline must be the exact same as it would be for any other employee for the exact same reason.
One of the best ways to combat retaliation is to have all the company rules and disciplinary measures clearly outlined in the employee handbook. Any business owner who has an employee claiming retaliation should learn about the options they have to address the situation.
]]>