Human Resource Blog

Dirty Posters and Sexual Harassment Issues

	Employment Training
Employee Warning Notice Employee Counseling Report Performance Improvement Plan Forklift Safety Kit

	HR Management
Confidential Employee Folder Confidential Employee Medical Folder Job File Worksheet Folder Daily EEO Applicant Flow Log Workplace Information Sheets Request to Inspect Personnel Files

	Labor Laws
Complete State & Federal Labor Law Posters 1 Year Compliance Protection Plan State ONLY Labor Law Posters Federal Labor Law Posters

	Management/Leadership
Complete Harassment Forms FMLA Administrator Kit Harassment Prevention Kit Sexual Harassment Kit Workplace Information Sheets

We have had only men work in our New Jersey warehouse for decades. However, the company recently hired a woman. The woman works all day in the same space as the men, and has recently come to us with a complaint. The men hang some pretty dirty pictures on the walls of the warehouse, as they have for years. What should we do to make sure all employees are happy?

You are in a tricky situation here: you have employees that have been enjoying their rights to decorate the walls as they wish. The dirty pictures probably increase their morale, make them happy to be working for the company, and, it is possible that the pictures are also a point of camaraderie for the men. However, now that you have introduced a woman into the so-called den, the woman is understandably uncomfortable.

One of the things you need to think about in addition to the dirty posters is the level of comfort that this female employee may not feel. If she is in environment that is potentially hostile and all-male, then she may feel threatened. Chances might also be good that this new female employee is getting harassed. While it may be easy to look the other way in this situation (the female employee is new and she is alone in a sea of men), it is important that you understand your role as an HR representative: you need to ensure that this new employee feels that she is in a safe and equal work environment. Failure to protect your employee from potential threats and harassing slurs could land you in court.

When it comes to the dirty posters on the wall, keep in mind that it is your job to ensure that if your employee has come to you with concerns, you address those concerns. If that means removing the posters, then you would be wise to remove the posters or have your workers remove the posters. If you fail to accommodate your employee, then your company will be held liable in the event that this employee files a formal sexual harassment claim with the courts.

Your company should have a sexual harassment policy in place to handle situations like this. It may be time to refer to that handbook and point out to employees that certain behavior just is not going to be acceptable with the changing face of the company and the workforce. After you address the situation, make sure that you follow up with the employee in order to ensure that she is not receiving any reciprocal threats or harassing comments as the result of the changes. Your priority, again, is to ensure the safety and equality of all employees, including those employees that are in the minority.