Boca Raton employees may not be surprised to learn that over a third of workers around the country have suffered from harassment in the workplace, according to a study. In addition, half of those workers were harassed due to their sex or gender. The study was conducted by Hiscox, an international insurance company.
Hiscox polled 500 full-time U.S. workers between June 6 and June 11, 2018. The survey found that workplace harassment is common, but it often goes unreported. For example, of the 35 percent of participants who reported experiencing harassment, 40 percent said they did not report it to their employer or to police. Fifty-three percent of those who did not report their harassment said they were afraid that reporting the incident could create a hostile working environment. Meanwhile, 37 percent of those who did report their harassment thought the issue was mishandled by their employer.
Seventy-eight percent of workers who experienced harassment said their perpetrator was male, while 73 percent said their perpetrator was a work superior. There were also instances of harassment perpetrated by women against men, workers of the same sex and individuals not employed by the company, such as contractors and clients. Finally, 85 percent of those surveyed said they believed the #MeToo and #TimesUp movements were encouraging more people to report incidents of workplace harassment, and 51 percent said their employer had implemented new harassment policies in the last 12 months.
Individuals who are subjected to this type of behavior could find relief by obtaining South Florida sexual harassment legal assistance. An employment attorney could review a client’s case and recommend the best course of action. For example, it may be advisable to file a complaint with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
Source: Claims Journal, “Hiscox: Sex Harassment Tops List of Most Common Form of Employee Misconduct“, Sept. 6, 2018
