Protect Your Company From Sexual Harassment Lawsuits
The DeVito Law Group provides a number of services specifically designed to meet the needs of employers, including sexual harassment prevention training, investigations of claims of harassment and discrimination, and the preparation and review of employee policy handbooks.
Is sexual harassment prevention training required?
Yes. California law requires all employers with five or more employees to provide at least two hours of sexual harassment and abusive conduct prevention training to all supervisory employees and at least one hour of sexual harassment and abusive conduct prevention training to all nonsupervisory employees once every two years. New nonsupervisory employees must be provided training within six months of hire and all supervisory employees within six months of assuming the supervisory position.
How can sexual harassment prevention training lessen an employer’s exposure to liability?
The Fair Employment & Housing Act (FEHA) makes it unlawful for an employer to fail to take all reasonable steps necessary to prevent harassment from occurring. With the proper training, employers may prevent sexual harassment from happening and preclude the filing of a sexual harassment lawsuit. At minimum, sexual harassment prevention training may help employers meet the “reasonable steps” requirement. Failure to provide sexual harassment prevention training may demonstrate an employer’s reckless disregard for the law, thereby forming the basis for an award of punitive damages in a lawsuit for sexual harassment.
What does the DeVito Law Group‘s training program offer that traditional programs don’t?
The DeVito Law Group offers specially designed interactive sexual harassment training courses backed by years of knowledge and experience. The DeVito Law Group has provided large and small companies with sexual harassment prevention training for more than 15 years. Our experts have successfully represented employers and employees in a variety of legal matters, including harassment and discrimination, for more than 30 years. By having worked on both camps of the litigation spectrum, our attorneys are knowledgeable about the types of conduct that give rise to actionable sexual harassment and effective measures for the prevention of sexual harassment.
The DeVito Law Group offers employers training courses for both management and line-level employees. The course run two to four hours in length and provide comprehensive information and guidance regarding federal and state laws prohibiting sexual harassment and abusive conduct, and the remedies available to victims of harassment. The courses are tailored to the specific needs of each company within an interactive forum designed to instruct in the prevention of harassment, discrimination and retaliation, and proper investigatory procedures through illustrations based on actual cases and quizzes.
Investigation services
Employers have a legal obligation to investigate all formal and informal complaints of harassment, discrimination and retaliation promptly, thoroughly and impartially. Our experts at the DeVito Law Group are skilled professionals in interviewing witnesses and evaluating credibility of witnesses in all types of claims involving harassment, discrimination and retaliation. We conduct prompt and exhaustive investigations, and provide a detailed analysis and recommendations based on our findings.
Employee policy handbooks
Employee policy and procedure handbooks not only outline an employer’s expectations of employee behavior and instruct employees on what they need to know in order to be successful, but serve as a valuable tool in assisting employers to operate compliantly and protect their organizations from claims of discrimination and other forms of litigation.
Because employment laws are constantly changing on the local, state and federal levels, employers need to make sure that their handbooks reflect the most recent laws and the most updated version of any existing laws. A simple growth in personnel may necessitate updates to your employee handbook.
It is recommended that employee policy handbooks be reviewed at least on an annual basis. If your business is operating on outdated language, you could be putting your organization at risk.
Our professionals at the DeVito Law Group review and draft employee manuals and policy and procedures handbooks on behalf of employers. We work closely with clients to customize policy and procedures materials to the specific needs of their employees and in accordance with the requirements of their specific industry. We also review and revise existing policies and procedures materials to ensure compliance with current laws.
Contact our law firm to schedule a consultation.