As more and more individuals come forward as victims of sexual misconduct in the workplace, many other people may find themselves feeling the courage to do the same. Reporting sexual harassment can be difficult for a number of reasons, but New York residents may want to remember that they do not have to stand quietly and accept mistreatment. Filing a report with superiors may be a beneficial first step.
Recent reports indicate that the wave of sexual harassment reports have caused many companies to change the way they approach such complaints. Previously, a claim of sexual misconduct may have taken months to be addressed by superiors, but now, many employers are choosing to take swifter action. Of course, this change may be in hopes of keeping the company’s reputation in tact because they do not want other outlets to report on such wrongdoing first.
These actions are typically being seen in bigger-name companies such as Netflix and Sony Pictures. This is unsurprising as well-known companies are likely the ones to end up in the news regarding any inaction regarding harassment complaints. As a result, many employers are making decisions more quickly and publicly.
Though these actions may be seen as beneficial for the employees of those bigger companies, many individuals in retail, food service or other industries often left out of the limelight may not reap such benefits. New York residents in these jobs may face sexual harassment, but due to being on a smaller platform, their complaints may not see the same quick attention. If individuals feel that their employers have not properly addressed their claims of harassment or faced retaliation because of complaints, they may wish to look into their options for taking legal action.
Source: oregonlive.com, “Why companies now have to move swiftly on sexual harassment allegations”, Samantha Masunaga, Dec. 2, 2017
