Civil Rights - Discrimination - Harrasment

When it comes to our civil rights, there is a fine line between neutrality and professionalism versus harassment and discrimination. Each time this line is crossed, our constitutional rights become violated. It is common for this to happen in the workplace, and thankfully there are laws in place which help protect us against the offenders.

It is remarkable how often we are faced with discrimination and harassment in the workplace, but most of the time we don’t say anything for the fear of retribution. Our silence will eventually lead to a depredated work environment, where even the most apparent assaults on our personal dignity become easily tolerated.

An example of such case is brought up in a recent news story about a woman from Philadelphia who is suing Walt Disney Parks and Resorts LLC over being groped by a costumed character while vacationing in Disney World in Florida in the spring of 2008. Though this incident occurred in 2008, the article clearly states that there were over 24 complaints filed with Florida authorities, all alleging similar inappropriate behavior from the company’s workers.

The main question here is whether or not Walt Disney Parks and Resorts LLC provides adequate sexual harassment training for its employees. In many states, companies of a certain size are required to put their workers through sexual harassment training at least once a year. In many cases, this beneficial ethics training could be recommended for companies of any size, with even just a few employees. Not only does this help prevent sexual harassment in a professional environment, but it also educates workers about their civil rights and helps everyone avoid suffering from unnecessary duress.

Another good example of a sexually hostile work environment, which wasn’t handled promptly by the managers, is a recent lawsuit against Knouse Foods. Women workers in one of the company’s plants, located in Gardners, PA, were continually harassed by their male co-workers. There is even mention of wrongful disciplinary actions being taken against the complainers. As a result, the company ended up paying out $300K to their female farmworkers to settle this lawsuit.

Sexual harassment is a serious issue that both the employers and their workers should be made aware of. What may seem like an innocent joke to some can mean a serious offense to others. A professional attorney can give you the best advice on what you can do to safeguard your company from sexual harassment and other civil rights lawsuits, and help your employees feel safe and comfortable in the workplace environment.