Asia has not been immune to the effects of Weinstein’s scandal, the #MeToo movement, and the crackdown on harassment and bullying. It is expected that complaints of sexual harassment will continue to be very common at workplaces as well. Complaints of sexual harassment not only expose employers to the risk of being legally correct but also impose dignity, employee relations, and good morals at stake. It is important that employers deal with these issues properly whether in a situation of defending or complaining.
Sexual Harassment in Workplace is a major problem. Understanding the law in Hong Kong, risk, and how to reduce this risk is an important topic for both managers in law firms and the employees themselves. In this study we understand the meaning of sexual harassment from history and law, discuss legal updates and understand how we can analyze and manage the risks of sexual harassment in the workplace.
Here are some basic principles to ensure that makes it easier to regulate such issues and maintain the ethical and moral conduct of your workplace.
- Your abuse policy needs to be updated regularly.
If you do not have a written policy on sexual harassment, get one now. And if you already have it make sure you update it every three to five years so it is accurate, says Nicole Sodom, senior manager of Sodom Law. For example, an old policy may not refer to social media, or it may contain outdated instructions on how victims should report an incident.
- Your entire company needs regular training.
There should be regular training once a year and that will help the company on how to handle complaints once it has been lodged, and what qualifications will go along. Live training is better than online, and the owner or CEO and other managers should be present. Their absence would be recognized and could be used as evidence of a culture that tolerates abuse.
- Do not force all complaints to pass on to you.
Experts say that victims of abuse should choose who to report their case to – the owner of the company or the CEO should be one way.
- Even if no one complains, you can still get into trouble
Does no complaint mean everything is going well? Well, that would be a mistake. Victims of bullying have no legal obligation to inform their employers of the problem. If management has witnessed harassment or a hostile workplace and fails to take action, the company can be prosecuted. Sexual Harassment in Workplace should be treated with attention to protect the interest of your company employees.
- Lack of purpose is not important
“You hear from people that they didn’t mean to offend anyone, they were just joking, and when they messed up with someone else,” said David Lewis, CEO of HR consultancy Operations Inc. “That doesn’t matter. The victim’s opinion is very important.” Employees have the right not to be contacted at work, or to be released in an unfair manner, or to hear jokes about the durability of their property, Lewis said.
What is sexual harassment?
Take Hong Kong as an example, ‘sexual harassment’ is defined under the SDO as:
- Any unacceptable sexual behavior in situations where a reasonable person thought the victim would be offended, humiliated or intimidated, or
- Sexual behavior that creates a hostile and intimidating environment.
- Women can be bullies and victims. Abuse does not need to happen between a man and a woman; “Homosexual” harassment is also illegal.
Repetitive behavior is not important; one incident can create harassment. A continuous course of behavior can be considered sexual harassment even though each item of behavior will not be abusive when taken alone.
Why choose Legal Beagle
Legal Beagle is a Hong Kong based leading online legal training provider. We have quickly gained a reputation for our good content, our growing CPD authorized library and authorized RME videos, as easy as all our lessons can be downloaded to computers, tablets or phones. We pride ourselves on providing the best customer service, we listen to the needs of our customers who offer the right options and solutions for each client, solid size and need.
Here are a few reasons why Hong Kong’s leading law firms have already made changes and opted for Legal Beagle:
- We offer high quality video training accredited by The Law Society of Hong Kong
- Easy: All of our lessons can be accessed on a computer, tablet or phone, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
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We also offer our Bespoke Academy solution where we record one of your internal conferences, organize, authorize and build online Firm training for internal training to earn CPD and RME points and marketing and business development purposes. Law firms can fully control what their program looks like, enjoy quality courses and pay little.
The Conclusion
Sexual Harassment in Workplace is a growing issue in today’s workplace all over the world. According to a recent survey, about 40 percent of women report being harassed in the workplace, with another study showing that the number of men being harassed at work is also rising. While sexual harassment hurts workers mentally, physically, and financially, employers also face significant costs associated with harassment. Employers may only face legal costs associated with harassment claims, but a corporate culture that fails to deal with harassment can affect productivity and lead to increased unemployment and profits.
If you decide that sexual harassment has occurred, act quickly and in accordance with your policy. Not all sexual harassment cases justify a termination, and disciplinary action must be accompanied by the seriousness of the case. One inappropriate statement may justify a formal reprimand, for example, while further serious harassment provides an opportunity for suspension. Also, all instructions must be in accordance with company policy and must be delivered in a timely and timely manner.
At Legal Beagle, we have developed our solutions to meet the needs of legal professionals who want to follow their CPD and RME needs in Hong Kong quickly, easily, and from a mobile source that can be accessed anywhere and whenever needed. We are proud to have the largest online library of courses approved by the Hong Kong Law Society. Since we started the company, a few actors have joined the market. However, they offer the most expensive and low-quality courses.
