Harassment, Discrimination, Retaliation Prevention & Civility/Bystander Intervention

TRAINING & EDUCATION

KSB Law offers Live Interactive Training on preventing harassment, discrimination, and retaliation and promoting bystander intervention, civility, and respect in private and public sector workplaces. The Firm offers services in this area to law firms, educational institutions, non-profit organizations, and private and public companies as well as local, county, and state governmental entities and agencies.

Employers have the legal duty to protect employees from harassment, discrimination, and retaliation based upon a variety of legally protected categories. Some of the key areas include sex (sexual), gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, pregnancy, breastfeeding, race, color, national origin, ethnicity, citizenship, religion, age, disability, marital, civil union, and domestic partnership status.

Legal requirements continue to expand in this area. This Training is as important as ever, given the current legal and social landscape, including global crises, social justice, and cultural movements.

It is key for employers to ensure that employees are protected from unlawful and inappropriate conduct, afforded safe and comfortable workplaces, and educated to know what is prohibited by policy and under the law.

The most meaningful ways that employers can prevent unlawful conduct is by implementing effective Policies and Procedures and conducting Live Interactive Training.

Training for workers at all levels includes a review/refresher on the employer’s Policies and Procedures, providing legal definitions, examples of problematic conduct, factual scenarios, and conducting exercises to help employees understand boundaries and avoid inappropriate conduct, as well as navigating challenging issues related to off duty conduct (social media, protests) and romantic relationships. Training includes promoting bystander intervention, civility, and respect and discusses the negative impact of bullying/violent behaviors.

BULLYING & VIOLENCE PREVENTION

KSB Law also offers separate Training on Bullying and Violence Prevention & Promoting Civility and Respect, which reviews how to identify bullying, violent, and abusive behaviors at work. It also discusses the detrimental impact that abusive behavior can have on the workplace environment and how it may lead to employer liability.

ADDITIONAL TRAINING FOR LEADERS/MANAGERS

Leaders and managers can receive additional instruction on navigating an array of challenges and obligations and the benefits of proactive efforts to prevent and remediate problematic conduct. The trainers also review managerial duties in handling complaints and escalation obligations upon becoming aware of problematic conduct or protected activities.

POLICIES & PROCEDURES

The Firm’s attorneys also help organizations implement effective Policies and Procedures geared toward preventing unlawful harassment, discrimination, and retaliation, which covers interactions with employees, vendors, suppliers, customers, clients, and patrons.

Effective Policies include many components, such as clear procedures on how to make complaints, to whom complaints should be made, multi-channel reporting options, potential consequences for violations, and a statement of the employer’s commitment to prompt, thorough, and impartial investigations of complaints and no tolerance for retaliation.