12-05-2018
One year has passed since the allegations against Harvey Weinstein were first aired in the New York Times, and the #MeToo movement began. Since then, according to Bloomberg News, at least "425 prominent people across industries have been publicly accused of sexual misconduct." Countless additional allegations were lodged against less prominent individuals and the consequences continued to reverberate through large and not-so-large companies. Employee walk-outs at Google, scrutiny of non-disclosure agreements and forced arbitration, and harassment policy
Sexual harassment prevention moved to the forefront of many employers' human resources efforts by reigniting their training initiatives after anticipating or dealing with increased accusations of harassment and the subsequent investigations. Our 20+ years of experience on the front lines of these issues kept us engaged in the public dialogue and in our work with our clients to promote respect and prevent harassment.
- EPS co-founders Pamela Hutchins and Laurie Jones provided more than 20 years of hard-earned insight into the #MeToo movement with their whitepaper "Twenty-Year Sexual Harassment Retrospective: A Celebration of Progress, A Confirmation of What Works, A Commitment to Continuous Change."
- We delivered two podcasts aimed directly at the issues of the moment. In "Can I Even Tell a Co-Worker They Look Nice Anymore? 10 Pressing Questions About Sexual Harassment," we answer questions that employees often ask like "my boss has called me 'honey' and 'dear' since I started work here 10 years ago. It's always bothered me and I want it to stop, but it doesn't seem like harassment. Should I file a complaint?" In "#MeToo, Sexual Harassment, and How to be an Effective Bystander," we examine the all-important role of the bystander - an increasingly important skill in preventing harassing behavior. Shaan Rizvi laid out exactly how employees can help in the fight against harassment in his whitepaper focused on the role of the bystander.
- Jessica
Caspe examined "Retaliation In the #MeToo Era" and Susan Sorrells showcased our experience in delivering thousands of investigations in "Special Considerations in Sexual Harassment Investigations." - Issues beyond #MeToo didn't escape our notice either. EPS President Stephanie Davis shows employers how to move down the path from diversity to inclusion. (If you're in Philadelphia in January, you can hear Stephanie, along with Jessica
Caspe and Suzanne Kersten, discuss the specifics in person. Sign-up here - no charge, but seating is limited.) - Domestic violence was on our radar as was freedom of expression in the workplace and salary history bans.
- Our full whitepaper archive is available here. You can meet the entire EPS team here and learn about our services here.