Too Small for HR - Types of Harassment

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What are the three main areas of harassment?

There are three main areas of harassment: verbal, physical, and visual. Verbal harassment epithets, derogatory comments, or slurs. Physical harassment entails unwanted touching, rubbing against someone, assault, and physical interference with movement or work. Also, examples of visual harassment are derogatory cartoons, drawings or posters, lewd gestures, or leering.

All of these types of harassment are inappropriate and sexual harassment impacts a person’s ability to do his or her job. As an employer, you want to protect your supervisors, employees, and your business. Productivity stems from complimenting the work, period. Train your employees so they and you know what is appropriate workplace behavior.

In California SB 1343 requires that every California employers with 5 or more employees provide 1 hour of harassment and abusive conduct prevention training to non-managerial employees and two hours of sexual harassment and abusive conduct prevention training to managerial employees once every two years. The law requires the training to include harassment training based on identity, gender expression, and sexual orientation. Practical samples of such harassment and interactive exercises are to be provided by trainers or educators with knowledge and expertise in those areas. Under the DFEH’s regulations, the definition of “employee” for training purposes includes full-time, part-time, and temporary employees, unpaid interns, unpaid volunteers, and independent contractors.