In the year 2014 the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission received over 21,000 workplace harassment complaints and juries are frequently awarding judgments in the hundreds of thousands or millions of dollars for federal harassment cases (Practical Law Labor & Employment, 2015; U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, 2014). Anti-harassment policies seek to reduce the number of such harassment incidents in a company’s workplace and in turn prevent such large jury awards. An anti-harassment policy should not just cover the topics of gender or sex but also include race, religion, creed, national origin, age, physical or mental disability, and service in the military. Currently some states and localities also prohibit harassment …show more content…
Anti-harassment policies encourage reporting and resolution of harassment, before full blown litigation is required, by providing an internal mechanism for reporting harassment (Tseng & Kang, 2015; Feldman-Summers, 2000). If litigation does occur the employer’s prompt response and investigation may weigh it its favor by showing that it is committed to complying with federal, state, and local anti-harassment laws (Practical Law Labor & Employment, 2015; Mero, Nichols, & Robinson, 2001). These policies have also been shown to reduce both job burnout and turnover and increase job satisfaction and productivity (Deery, Walsh, & Guest, 2011; Salin, 2009; Curtice, 2005).
A company seeking to stop harassment is also a very biblical thing to undertake. The Bible is very clear in its condemnation of both sexual immorality and “foolish talk” in Ephesians (Ephesians 5:3-4 English Standard Version). These verse sit as specific reminders to the general principles of loving your neighbor and not discriminating against a person based on their skin color or gender (Matthew 5:43-48 ESV; Galatians 5:14; Galatian 3:28 ESV).
IV. Use of Company Vehicles