People who go to work in St. Paul, Minnesota, just like those employed elsewhere, should be able to feel secure in their workplaces. Sometimes though, they make complaints about sexual harassment from a co-worker or superior. If you’re a business owner and dealing with that kind of feedback, it’s a good idea to hire a St. Paul business lawyer to act as your guide while you investigate the complaint.
Talk to Your Lawyer as Soon as You Get a Complaint
If an employee comes to you and reveals an alleged incident of sexual harassment, it’s crucial to take that person seriously and have an understanding attitude. Also, make sure to contact your St. Paul business lawyer immediately after receiving such a complaint. One of the worst things you can do is dismiss the employee’s claim or make it seem like you’re not committed to taking action. It’s also in your best interests to have legal expertise to rely upon from the start.
Investigate Every Claim Fully
Verifying the validity of a claim is just as important as letting the employee know you care about what happens. Your words are important, but actions should mirror what you say. Carefully look into the complaint and don’t come to any conclusions or reprimand the alleged offender before carrying out a full investigation. Your St. Paul business lawyer should have some helpful advice about how to get to the bottom of any harassment claims received.
Follow the Policies Your Business Has Established
Ideally, your business should already have a framework in place for how to respond if an employee makes a sexual harassment claim. Follow those procedures carefully. Otherwise, you could open yourself up to other complaints from different people in the workplace asserting that you’re treating the alleged harassment victim unfairly because you’re doing something other than following the rules. If you haven’t yet come up with a plan for how to handle sexual harassment claims, your St. Paul business lawyer can help create one.
Sexual harassment in the workplace is unfortunately quite common. As an employer, you can help reduce the chances of it happening by making employees feel comfortable enough to report it, letting people at your workplace know it won’t be tolerated, and taking each complaint seriously.
