How to fight harassment

What should employers do to "crush harassment?" Here's what employment lawyer Jonathan Segal told the Delaware County Human Resource Association:

Have a policy, but don't just use words like "inappropriate and unacceptable." Give examples. Disseminate the policy - often - and talk about it.

Have a complaint procedure, one with multiple entry points, in case the immediate supervisor or the human resource manager is the harasser. A committee is better, or a hotline.

Train managers on how to respond "in the moment," when told of harassment. Role-play to make sure the reaction is welcoming yet neutral, understanding that it might have taken tremendous courage for the person to speak up.

Even though every complaint may not be valid, "you can't retaliate against people that make complaints."

"Zero tolerance" is not a good policy. The remedy has to be "immediate and proportionate."