The Workplace Discrimination Paper

The Workplace Discrimination Paper

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The Workplace Discrimination Paper

Harassment and discrimination are common vibes that occur in all workplaces though discouraged by the law. These vibes manifest themselves in different forms that employers and employees should be aware of and report promptly. The scenario gives an example of harassment between James and Chantel. The paper will discuss the various aspects of this scenario, including the form of harassment and the actions to be taken, and the responsible body, then further elaborates on the difference between harassment and discrimination.

The Type of Potential Harassment

This scenario depicts a case of sexual or romantic harassment, as described by GERE CONSULTING ASSOCIATE (2021). James is making constant romantic advancements toward Chantel despite receiving though Chantel keeps declining them. Such unwelcomed advances are seemingly frustrating, irritating, and problematic to Chantel. Even though she has told James this, he has remained adamant to the point of harassment.

Resolutions

In this case, James is seemingly not heeding calls to stop harassing Chantel. Therefore, HR should take drastic measures against him because he had admitted to harassing Chantel and apologized. The HR should give him the las warning that if his fails to oblige will prompt further legal actions. Further, the HR should help Chantel lodge a legal complaint against James for subsequent harassment after informing him. In the US, Chantel, with the help of HR, can complain to the US Department of State via the Office of Civil Rights (S/OCR) for further investigations and legal actions to be taken (Office of Civil Rights, 2019).

The Government Agency Involved in Investigating Chantel’s Harassment Claims

Chantel can complain to the US Department of State. The US Department of State is responsible for receiving sexual harassment allegations to investigate and promptly address them (Office of Civil Rights, 2019). The body is mandated to take immediate and effective measures to end such unwelcome romantic advances (Office of Civil Rights, 2019). The contact point for the US Department of State is the Office of Civil Rights (S/OCR) which investigates or oversees investigations of alleged sexual harassment.

How these agencies would be involved in Chantel’s case

Once the US Department of State is informed about the alleged harassment through the S/OCR, it will kick off an official investigation of the matter. S/OCR guides relevant parties in investigating and handling potential harassment (Office of Civil Rights, 2019). It guides supervisors on how to ensure that no further apparent or alleged harassment occurs during and after the investigation. After the investigation, the body takes appropriate measures, including a verbal or written admonishment or a letter of reprimand through suspensions without pay of varying lengths to discipline the harasser, if found guilty (Office of Civil Rights, 2019). It also protects the victims and those who reported the case from possible retaliation from the harasser.

Harassment and Discrimination

According to King and Siegel (2021), Discrimination is when one suffers adverse employment actions due to your membership of a protected class, such as race, gender, national origin, age, and so on, whereas, harassment is mistreatment based on a protected class to the point of a hostile work environment. Discrimination can manifest in form of harassment. For instance, if an employer prefers male employees to female employees. That preference is a form of discrimination that can manifest by creating a hostile work environment for female employees by assigning them excess work, calling them names, using pejorative words on them, and so on.

Harassment and discrimination are unwelcomed vibes in any workplace and must be discouraged as much as possible. As seen in the case of James and Shantel, harassment leads to discomfort for both the harasser and their victims, and this might hinder their work performance. Laws have been enacted to ensure that such vibes are mitigated. Both employees and employers must work together to ensure compliance with these laws.

 

 

References

GERE CONSULTING ASSOCIATE. (2021). Sexual Harassment in the Workplace Or Romance? https://gereconsulting.com/sexual-harassment-workplace/

King and Siegel. (2021). What is the Difference Between Discrimination, Harassment, and Retaliation? King & Siegel LLP. https://www.kingsiegel.com/blog/what-is-the-difference-between-discrimination-ha/

Office of Civil Rights. (2019). Sexual Harassment Policy. US DEPARTMENT of STATE. https://www.state.gov/key-topics-office-of-civil-rights/sexual-harassment-policy/

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