Training Supervisors to Prevent Workplace Harassment

In cases involving allegations of harassment, juries often focus on how an employer responded to harassment complaints. Supervisors are a crucial first link in recognizing harassment and initiating the response at a K-12 school, college, or university.

This report details how to properly educate and empower first-line supervisors to prevent harassment. These strategies potentially can help your institution avoid claims or save your institution from being found liable.

• At many institutions, there is confusion about who is a supervisor or legally will be considered one; generally, employees are supervisors if they have authority over other employees.
• In supervisor training, consider using a broad definition of harassment that includes unlawful and inappropriate workplace behavior and clarifies that workplace harassment is simply mean-spirited behavior.
• Instead of letting employees make harassment complaints to their supervisors, strongly consider designating a few positions or people to whom harassment complaints may be made.