More men are filing charges of sexual harassment in the workplace, a trend that’s likely to grow as more women assume managerial positions that involve supervising men. Also contributing to the rise is the fact that it’s more socially acceptable today for a man to file sexual harassment charges, says Martha Zackin, a Boston attorney with Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky and Popeo P.C.
Last fiscal year, men filed 2,031 sexual harassment cases -- about 16% of the total -- brought before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, compared with just 9% in 1992. Total payouts to men totaled $5.4 million in fiscal 2009.
In one of the costliest cases, national home improvement retailer Lowe’s paid $1.72 million to three employees -- two men and one woman. The harassment went on for six months and included physical and verbal abuse. Not only did Lowe’s fail to take remedial action, but the workers were fired.
From just $107.88 $24.99 for Kiplinger Personal Finance
Be a smarter, better informed investor.
Sign up for Kiplinger’s Free Newsletters
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and more - straight to your e-mail.
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice - straight to your e-mail.
In another case, Regal Entertainment Group, a national movie theater chain, paid $175,000 to settle a sexual harassment complaint made by a male employee. The EEOC charged that the employee was subjected to a sexually hostile workplace because of a female coworker who repeatedly grabbed his crotch. The female general manager failed to take adequate steps to stop or prevent the harassment and instead took retaliatory action against the harassed worker.
Employers need to treat sexual harassment complaints equally and seriously, regardless of whether the complainant is Jane Doe or John Doe. “Employers must take all charges seriously and not treat someone poorly because he made a good faith complaint,” says Zackin.
Supervisors, and especially new managers, should receive intensive training in what constitutes sexual harassment and how to keep it out of the workplace. “If managers don’t realize their behavior is creating a hostile work environment, they’ll continue to engage in that behavior,” says Rae Vann, general counsel at the Equal Employment Advisory Council.
-
Quiz: How Well Do You Know Delaware Statutory Trusts?Quiz Real estate investing pro Daniel Goodwin recently wrote about Delaware statutory trusts for Adviser Intel. Find out if you understand how DSTs work.
-
S&P 500 Snaps Losing Streak Ahead of Nvidia Earnings: Stock Market TodayThe Dow Jones Industrial Average also closed higher for the first time in five days, while the Nasdaq Composite notched a win too.
-
Amid Mounting Uncertainty: Five Forecasts About AIThe Kiplinger Letter With the risk of overspending on AI data centers hotly debated, here are some forecasts about AI that we can make with some confidence.
-
Worried About an AI Bubble? Here’s What You Need to KnowThe Kiplinger Letter Though AI is a transformative technology, it’s worth paying attention to the rising economic and financial risks. Here’s some guidance to navigate AI’s future.
-
Will AI Videos Disrupt Social Media?The Kiplinger Letter With the introduction of OpenAI’s new AI social media app, Sora, the internet is about to be flooded with startling AI-generated videos.
-
What Services Are Open During the Government Shutdown?The Kiplinger Letter As the shutdown drags on, many basic federal services will increasingly be affected.
-
The Economy on a Knife's EdgeThe Letter GDP is growing, but employers have all but stopped hiring as they watch how the trade war plays out.
-
Banks Are Sounding the Alarm About StablecoinsThe Kiplinger Letter The banking industry says stablecoins could have a negative impact on lending.
-
Apple Readies for AI Upgrade with New iPhonesThe Kiplinger Letter The tech giant has stumbled when it comes to artificial intelligence, but a new batch of iPhones will help it make headway.
-
Japan Enters a New Era of Risk and ReformThe Kiplinger Letter Japan has entered a pivotal moment in its economic history, undertaking ambitious policy and structural reforms to escape from decades of stagnation.
