Objective of the Study

To Prevent Sexual and Racial Harassment at Workplace and to build Employee Morale

To create awareness of Sexual and Racial Harassment

To What is Corporate Social Responsibility of Corporate regarding Sexual and Racial Harassment

Sexual Harassment
Sexual harassment is any objectionable emphasis on the sex of an individual (whether by a member of the opposite sex or the same sex). Any sexual oriented conduct - verbal, physical or by innuendo - constitutes sexual harassment when:

submission to such conduct becomes either explicitly or implicitly a term or condition of employment; submission to or rejection of such conduct is used as a basis for employment decisions; such conduct has the purpose or effect of interfering with work performance; such conduct creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive working environment such conduct might reasonably by expected to cause embarrassment, insecurity, discomfort or humiliation to another person or group.

Categories of Sexual Harassment at Workplace

Sexual Harassment

Verbal

Non Verbal

Physical

Verbal Harassment

Referring to an adult as a girl, hunk, doll, babe, or honey

Whistling at someone, cat calls

Making sexual comments about a person's body Making sexual comments or innuendos

Turning work discussions to sexual topics

Telling sexual jokes or stories Asking about sexual fantasies, preferences, or history Asking personal questions about social or sexual life Making sexual comments about a person's clothing, anatomy, or looks

Non-Verbal Harassment

Looking a person up and down (Elevator eyes)

Staring at someone
Blocking a person's path Following the person Giving personal gifts Displaying sexually suggestive visuals

Making sexual gestures with hands or through body movements

Making facial expressions such as winking, throwing kisses, or licking lips

Physical Harassment

Touching the person's clothing, hair, or body Hugging, kissing, patting, or stroking Touching or rubbing oneself sexually around another person Standing close or brushing up against another person Giving a massage around the neck or shoulders

Impact of Sexual Harassment

Impact on Career
Emotional Impact Financial Impact

Social Impact

Organization Impact

Physical Impact

Impact on Career

Emotional Impact

Quitting ones job Reduced Productivity Decreased Concentration

Distress Denial Mood Swing

Absenteeism
Decreased Interest in work or study

Depression
Uncertainty over the future Loss of Ambition

Interruption of career

Irritability
Anger Feelings of Isolation

Physical Impact

Financial Impact

Insomnia or other sleep disturbances

Threatened or actual loss of income and/or benefits Threatened or actual loss of promotions or merit increases Decrease in professional reputation or status Threatened or actual loss of job

Change in appetite

Stress-related ailments Decreased energy

Higher employee turnover Litigation loss of time and money

Increased cost of benefits

Retraining

Threatened or actual loss of recommendations

Threatened or actual loss of opportunities

Low Morale

Physical or emotional withdrawal from friends, family and co-workers

Social Impact

Difficulty interacting with others

Dependency on another person(s) for support Limiting of social interactions or self-isolation because one feels unsafe leaving the home or entering work, study or other space in which the sexual harassment occurred Generalized fears of people or things that remind one of the harassment Others may distance themselves from a complainant because they don't want to get involved or don't understand what she/he is experiencing Alcohol or drug use/abuse

Impact on the Organization Costly investigation and litigation

Negative exposure and publicity

Embarrassing depositions
Increased absenteeism Lowered employee morale Reduced productivity Decreased efficiency

Higher employee turn over

Erosion of organization's brand names, goodwill, and public image Negative impact on stock price

Spoken language, written words, visual material, or behavior that expresses hostility, brings into contempt, or ridicules someone, on the ground of their color, race, ethnic or national origins; and

Racial Harassment

is hurtful or offensive to that person, and through either being repeated or being of a significant nature affects work performance creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive working environment causes embarrassment, insecurity, discomfort, or humiliation to another person or groups.

What Comes Under Racial Harassment

Making jokes, insinuations, humiliating comments or racially oriented remarks. Criticizing and being intolerant in regards to the victims differences: his or her accent, clothing, hairdo, customs and beliefs. Acting seemingly disgusted or showing contempt in the victims presence. Finding excuses for not working with the victim. Stereotyping the victim with subordinate tasks or case-loads. Trying to hinder or stop the victims chances for a promotion. Showing comic strips, pictures or images that are racially degrading.

Legal Aspect of Racial Harassment

Race Relations Act 1976 and Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000
Racial violence is a criminal offence and proceedings in cases of racial abuse and harassment may be brought under both criminal and civil law. The Race Relations (Amendment) Act means that public bodies have a duty to promote race equality, to tackle racial discrimination, to encourage equal opportunity and good race relations. Protection from Harassment Act 1997 The Act says that it is unlawful to cause harassment, alarm or distress by a course of conduct and states that 'A person must not pursue a course of conduct (a) which amounts to harassment of another, and (b) which he knows or ought to know amounts to harassment of the other.'

Consequences of Racial Harassment

For the Victim

FOR WITNESSES INSIDE THE ORGANIZATION FOR THE ORGANIZATION

Preventive Measures against Sexual and Racial Harassment

Formal Procedure Informal Procedure

Adopting a Strong Policy

Informal Procedure Employee should promptly inform the harasser that such conduct is inappropriate, offensive, and unwelcome.

Report the matter to the immediate manager or advisor(From HR) If issue is not resolve then fill the complaint in writing to HR,Execute officer or Managing Director

Formal Procedure

The HR department/Management of company shall investigate this complaint in a prompt and impartial manner by taking the following steps: Reviewing the written complaint.

A complaint committee is formed

Complaint Committee would be interrogating and Interviewing the complainant, alleged harasser, and other relevant parties, such as witnesses and the employee's supervisor.

Reviewing any pertinent evidences, documents or records. Complaint Committee will prepare a written report regarding the findings and conclusions reached, Recommendations for the disciplinarian action to be taken up to and including termination This report shall be furnished to the Management of the company ,complainant, the alleged harasser

Committee Criteria
Things should be keep in mind while setting a Committee

It is mandatory that the Chairperson is a woman.

Half of the committee members should be women

The Committee should depute a third party representative, either from an NGO and/ or someone who is familiar with issues of sexual harassment, as one of the members A detailed Terms of Reference of the Committee must be drawn up, stating:

Committee Objectives

The scope of its authority and what issues it can deal with in the workplace Process of registration and the redressal of complaints Time frame for investigation and fact-finding of a complaint that has been registered

Forums where issues of common concern may be raised by both men and women employees.

Training

All staff should receive training in what employers mean by unacceptable behavior at work. Training is essential to explain to employees why the organization has adopted a policy against racial harassment and to make sure that everyone is clear about the procedures they must follow if they want to make a complaint. The policy should be discussed in any induction training for new staff and be included as a standard element in all other training programmes. Employers must ensure that all staff receive training in what is meant by unacceptable behavior at work.

Case Study

Corporate Social Responsibility of Infosys Regarding Sexual Harassment

Phaneesh Murthy (Phaneesh), the head of the sales and marketing, and communication and product services division of Infosys (and a director on the board), resigned from his post in June 2002. Phaneesh said that he had resigned in order to focus on fighting a lawsuit filed against him in the US The lawsuit, filed by his former secretary, Reka Maximovitch (Reka) alleged that Phaneesh had sexually harassed her and unlawfully terminated her employment The company's share price declined by 6.6% soon after Phaneesh left.

Steps taken by Infosys after this incident

Infosys conducted a course for all its officers and members (in India as well as abroad) on sexual harassment and the importance of being sensitized about the issue. The code of conduct provided in the employee manual was modified in line with the above decision..

Conlusion

Dont quit your job Complain with government authorities

Keep your family informed

Take advice from someone who has already gone through sexual harassment Take anonymous legal advice

Thank You