by Stephen D. Hans | Dec 23, 2011 | Sexual Harassment, Uncategorized
Author: Hans & Associates, P.C. As GOP candidate hopeful Herman Cain’s recent ratings dropped, presumably based on reports of sexual harassment settlements, workplace harassment came once again under the microscope of the public eye. According to the Washington Post, a November, 2011 Washington Post-ABC News poll revealed that: 25% of men answering the survey worried about being unfairly accused of sexual harassment 10% of men answering the survey answered they had said or done something, even inadvertently, that a female worker might have considered an unwanted sexual advance Proactive legal precautions are the best preventative Taking precautionary legal measures can save businesses significant time and expense tied up in sexual harassment investigation or litigation. As seen in the Herman Cain campaign, while settlements were kept quiet during the 1990s, more than a decade later, news reports have brought to view issues supposedly laid to rest. Publicity alone can be a damaging factor for business or career objectives, not to mention legal fees or settlement costs. Litigation avoidance is the best protection small business owners have against sexual harassment. Training about what constitutes sexual harassment, implementing workplace policies that prohibit sexual harassment, and developing sound work practices for all phases of employment help businesses minimize or eradicate instances of sexual harassment. In addition, the most effective way to avoid litigious situations is to seek legal guidance from knowledgeable employment lawyers. Experienced New York harassment attorneys serving small businesses in the Bronx, Queens, and Long Island can help business owners avoid the pitfalls of sexual harassment...
by Stephen D. Hans | Jun 17, 2011 | Sexual Harassment
Local Case Update: Central Park’s Other Famed Restaurant Endures Federal Sexual Harassment Investigation Within the last three years, the federal government has investigated both of Central Park’s landmark restaurants, based upon allegations of sexual harassment. The United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) is now investigating the famous Boathouse Restaurant, located at the edge of the Lake on the east side of the Park, for allegedly permitting a hostile workplace environment to persist for several of its female employees. According to a recent article in the New York Daily News, the allegations include claims that female workers were fondled by a manager, were pressured by their supervisors to submit to sexual acts, and were forced to view sexually explicit photographs while at work. The Boathouse Restaurant has also had problems recently in dealing with a union organizing campaign and an investigation by the City for the under-reporting of restaurant revenues. The restaurant operates on public land under a contract with the City. The Boathouse Restaurant is not the only Central Park eatery to run into problems with the government, when it comes to workplace sexual harassment. Tavern on the Green, the famed restaurant located just inside the Park at West 66th Street, settled an EEOC-initiated lawsuit for $2.2 Million and an array of remedial relief. The Tavern investigation involved harassment allegations of groping and inappropriate sexual comments toward female employees similar to those in the more recent Boathouse investigation. The large settlement figure probably played a role, at least in part, in Tavern’s closing the following year in December 2009. As evidenced by these investigations, sexual harassment claims remain...
