Did you know that if you employ people within your business, you have certain responsibilities toward those individuals? The type of financial responsibilities you have depends on the type of business you run, how many people you have employed and the nature of your employment agreements with those individuals. However, all employers do have some type of responsibility to stop, manage and investigate harassment and discrimination.
Harassment is a particularly serious thing that can occur in the workplace, and as the business owner or employer, you can actually be held liable for certain actions of your supervisors and other workers. In some cases, you can even be sued and held liable for damages, especially if it can be shown that you could have been aware of the actions. As an employer, you must act immediately and responsibly on any suspected harassment or on reports or complaints about harassment.
Your action as an employer might include an internal investigation. Once you conclude the investigation, you might take appropriate actions to discipline anyone involved in the incident or educate your workforce about harassment or discrimination. These are all admirable — and sometimes required — actions, but they won’t necessarily stop a lawsuit or outside investigation from occurring.
If you are facing such legal actions because one of your employees has alleged harassment or discrimination, then you should consult with an experienced workplace attorney. Our firm works with companies to investigate and resolve such matters while maintaining the value of a brand and working to protect you from other lawsuits and issues. Facing such matters alone can leave you open to attacks and allegations, and we help you discover the truth so you can act appropriately on the matter and move forward with your business.
