From Hollywood to Capitol Hill to the NPR newsroom high profile sexual harassment cases are prompting a national conversation about a pervasive problem. But researchers find low wage workers are more vulnerable to sexual harassment than those in high paid positions and they may have less recourse for reporting the mistreatment.
Surveys by theEqual Employment Opportunity Commissionfound the industries where sexual harassment is most prevalent are food service and retail. Workers in these service sectors filed more than three times the claims than employees in higher-paid positions. Furthermore, the surveys found nearly three-quarters of the complaints also included an allegation of retaliation, suggesting the victims faced retribution for coming forward.
Whether it's a high-profile case or one that doesn't make the headlines every workplace is affected. Here to discuss the reporting process and what companies and HR departments need to do to properly handle harassment complaints are Graydon Law FirmAttorney Julie Pugh; Strategic HR Inc. Director of Client Relations Cathleen Snyder; and Attorney and University of Cincinnati Carl H. Lindner College of Business Assistant Professor Peter Burrell.