Both New Jersey and the Federal government have established laws prohibiting workplace harassment in any form including discrimination that is based on a person’s race, color, religion, sex (including gender identity and pregnancy), national origin, age, disability, genetic information, sexual orientation, or marital status. In addition, these laws prohibit retaliation against any employee who invokes their right to a workplace free of discrimination and harassment.
Each year tens of thousands of workplace harassment and retaliation claims are filed nationally and on average employers find themselves on the hook for close to $50 million annually to settle these claims.
Notwithstanding the exorbitant cost of defending and settling these claims, the mere occurrence of workplace harassment or retaliation, in any form, disrupts the work environment and negatively impacts the company. Employers who have established well-publicized anti-harassment policies and reporting procedures, coupled with employee and management education and training, are less likely to face lawsuits alleging workplace harassment and discrimination. In addition, employers with these protocols in place may avoid liability in the event suit is filed.
Harassment Training Services: The Employment group of Lindabury McCormick regularly provides its clients and their employees with training that covers all federal and state employment laws governing workplace harassment and discrimination. Employees are educated about the laws prohibiting workplace harassment and retaliation; trained to recognize actions which may constitute harassment and retaliation; and provided guidance as to the necessary steps to be taken should they be victimized or witness these prohibited behaviors in the workplace.
The responsibility of management personnel in preventing, documenting and investigating harassment and retaliation claims in the workplace, as well as the potential for individual liability for those managers who engage in these activities, are also covered in the training provided by Lindabury.
Harassment Investigation Services: When claims of workplace harassment are made, clients rely on Lindabury’s expertise to quickly develop a plan to conduct an impartial, third-party internal investigation of the claim. This process provides employers with invaluable protection against claims that the investigation was undertaken by an unqualified or partial individual who failed to adequately address the allegations. Moreover, in the event of litigation our investigators are fully prepared to defend the adequacy of all the steps undertaken in the course of the investigative process.
Clients to Whom We Provide Training and Investigative Services* Lindabury provides a wide range of employment training for clients in workplace sensitivity, unlawful workplace harassment and retaliation, effective discipline programs and other aspects of employment law compliance.