Sexual Harassment

Overview

The U.S. Supreme Court first recognized workplace sexual harassment as a form of unlawful sex discrimination in Meritor Savings Bank v. Vinson in 1986. In the more than 30 years after that landmark decision, the law prohibiting sexual harassment has not changed drastically—nor has the underlying conduct that constitutes sex harassment. What has changed dramatically is the number of those who speak out and the attention they are able to draw.

With today’s heightened awareness and focus on workplace harassment, employers must evaluate their practices to ensure they are consistently maintaining and implementing preventive and remedial measures, including examining their training strategies and ensuring they are providing regular education to supervisors and employees. They must also audit their internal investigation protocol to ensure it is prompt, impartial, and thorough so that both the employees, and the company, are protected.

Jackson Lewis attorneys have focused on the importance of prevention since our firm was founded in 1958, and have advised thousands of employers on anti-harassment principles, as well as effective investigative techniques, in the unfortunate event a claim is raised. We encourage you to contact us with any questions about the potential impact of sexual harassment claims on your workplace.