There are two main types of workplace sexual harassment. Some people deal with quid pro quo sexual harassment which occurs when someone in a position of authority threatens punishment or offers job benefits for certain personal favors. There is also a hostile work environment, which coworkers might create by targeting and mistreating one employee.
People generally think of sexual harassment as an issue that occurs between co-workers or between an employee and their supervisor. However, sexual harassment can also begin with the misbehavior of a customer or client. Employers aren’t always as supportive as they should be when workers report customer sexual harassment.
How should companies protect their employees?
The right to a harassment-free workplace does not end where customer interactions begin. Instead, employers have an obligation to protect their workers from the misconduct of customers and clients on the job as well. Those who sales or service professions may be at particularly high risk of customer sexual harassment.
A server working at a bar, for example, may end up assaulted by a customer who touches them inappropriately. A barista at a coffee shop may have to endure regular unwanted advances and uncomfortable statements made by a frequent customer. Sometimes, customers or clients try to leverage a pending sale or a gratuity as a way to coerce a worker into accepting abuse.
Workers generally need to report customer sexual harassment as soon as possible for their own protection. They should be able to trust their employer to take their complaints seriously and intervene to stop the harassment.
Supervisors can take over handling a customer or client who mistreats workers. Other times, having an employee of the opposite sex assume certain responsibilities could protect a worker from continued harassment. In more severe cases, the manager may need to ask a customer to leave because of their conduct. Other times, in a business-to-business sales scenario, it might be necessary to change who represents the other company during negotiations.
Unfortunately, it is somewhat common for managers to ignore worker complaints and for human resources professionals to offer minimal support in cases of customer harassment. Workers may also face retaliation ranging from termination to fewer scheduled shifts or sales leads.
When an employer does not properly respond to complaints of customer sexual harassment, an employee may need to document the issue and prepare to take legal action. Filing a sexual harassment lawsuit can potentially help to change the culture at a company and reimburse those harmed by sexual misconduct in the workplace.