The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) protects employees in the United States from many forms of discrimination. One type the EEOC protects workers from is retaliation, which describes when a workplace punishes an employee for reporting instances of discrimination, typically sexual harassment.
EEOC Protecting Employees from Retaliation
The EEOC recently sued a pediatric medical practice in Tampa Bay over alleged reprisal against an employee. They argued that the practice violated Title VII of the Civil Rights Act by transferring a nurse to a different location after she reported being sexually harassed.
The court ordered the practice to pay $50,000 in damages to the nurse. Furthermore, the court required the practice to conduct anti-discrimination training, adjust its policies, report to the EEOC every year, and post notices about anti-discrimination in their offices.
Preventing Retaliation
Employers must protect workers from reprisal if they speak out about sexual harassment. Workplaces should strive to create a culture of safety where everyone’s rights are respected and revenge or harassment will not be tolerated.
The first step in creating a safe, welcoming workplace is establishing an anti-discrimination and harassment policy. However, workplaces should not stop here. Employers should provide sexual harassment training to all employees on a regular basis. Many states require workplaces to provide this training, and not doing so is a violation of the law. Sexual harassment training should cover federal anti-discrimination laws, state laws, practices for reporting sexual harassment, and information about preventing retaliation against victims and reporters.
Get Certified
American Medical Compliance (AMC) is a leader in the industry for compliance, billing, and HR solutions. Learn more about preventing retaliation in the workplace by taking AMC’s Sexual Harassment in the Workplace course today. Visit https://americanmedicalcompliance.com/ for more information.
Reference
U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Pediatric Healthcare Alliance to Pay $50,000 to Settle EEOC Retaliation Lawsuit. Retrieved from: https://www.eeoc.gov/newsroom/pediatric-healthcare-alliance-pay-50000-settle-eeoc-retaliation-lawsuit.
