It is easy to armchair judge bad behavior we see on this news and think–I would not put up with that. (If you do not have electricity, you may have missed the musician/fashion designer/business owner Kanye West’s anti-Semitic rants online.) Let’s break down what you should do at your workplace if confronted with discriminatory remarks:
- Investigate: Every discriminatory or harassment complaint brought to management’s attention directly or through social media must be addressed. Consistently investigate and document each incident to both guard against Title VII or state claims and to show the behavior will not be tolerated.
- Act: Based on your investigation, take action. From a verbal warning to termination, your investigation and policy will guide you. Physical threats or hate speech would call for more serious consequences than a stray comment or off-color joke. Lean on your…
- Policy: To set expectations in your workplace, you need to have a policy that outlines standards of behavior. If you do not have an updated employee handbook, including a current social media policy, now is a good time to address that. A strong policy, distributed to all employees, is the gift that keeps on giving to your workplace.
- Train: Managers and supervisors need to know the above steps to take and be familiar with the policies defining unacceptable behavior.
Kanye West is not the first and will not be the last ill-behaved celebrity. And you will likely have had or will have conduct at your workplace that is not acceptable. With the right steps, you can contain the damage and protect your workplace.
Questions? We can help! From investigations to training to policies. Contact us.