It is not unusual for people to take drastic action in hopes of seeing changes take place. Employees may go on strike, file lawsuits and take other steps in hopes of seeing changes to toxic work environments. In particular, sexual harassment has become more of a focus as workers fight for change in hopes of ending this mistreatment on the job.
New York readers may be interested in a recent report indicating that Google plans to make internal changes regarding sexual harassment policies after company employees all over the world walked out of their jobs as a form of protest. The walkout took place after it was reported that allegations of sexual harassment had been taking place for years and that accused executives were receiving significant severance packages. After the walkout, the company’s CEO stated that the company was sorry for not getting “everything right” and that changes need to be made.
One of the policy changes involves workers no longer having to opt for arbitration when they file claims of sexual assault or harassment, though it is still an option. However, it was noted that this change only applies to sexual harassment claims and not to other discrimination claims. The report also stated that the company plans to update its sexual harassment training and require the training every year rather than every two years.
Sexual harassment has run rampant for years, and workers want to see this mistreatment come to an end. As this case shows, employee protests may allow their voices to be heard and for changes to take place. Still, some workers may not see the desired results after filing harassment claims, and they may need to speak with New York attorneys about their legal options.
