Offensive Employee Behaviors and Legal Sanctions
Not what you're looking for?
Consider the following account, adapted from the Canadian HR reporter:
In a British Columbia human rights case, a store owner engaged in behaviours that could be construed as teasing or as simply crude. Some of these behaviours included:
Reference by the owner to photo processing machines as "female machines" because they "alarm and go off and make a lot of noise" and suffer from PMS (premenstrual syndrome).
Reference to part of the photo process as being like "a little boy going wee".
Statements that one employee had problems with the machine because her "arms were too short" while he gestured in a manner that indicated that she had large breasts.
When told that these remarks were offensive, the owner, who was of British Columbia ancestry, said, "You Canadians are so backwards because nobody can take a joke".
Such comments were made frequently, and the complainant said she found them offensive.
Still, there is evidence to suggest that the store owner did not see himself as harassing. He asked that investigators speak with another female employee. This employee confirmed the allegations. She could tell the complainant was embarrassed by the owner's comments about her.
The complainant conceded that the owner was a good person and a good employer who probably didn't mean to offend to the degree that he did. He wanted the work environment to be "fun".
1. Do you think it is reasonable for an employer to be subject to legal sanctions for the kind of behaviour described above?
2. Do you think it is reasonable for an employee to be subject to such treatment, even if it is not meant to be offensive but just an expression of a sense of humour?
3. In a larger organization, what steps should be taken to minimize friction over this kind of behaviour?
Purchase this Solution
Solution Summary
This solution discusses offensive employee behaviors and the possible legal sanctions for them.
Solution Preview
1. Do you think it is reasonable for an employer to be subject to legal sanctions for the kind of behaviour described above?
Yes, I do think it is reasonable for an employer to be subject to legal sanctions for the kind of behaviour described above; however, in this particular case, one employee stated the employer just wanted to have fun and meant no harm. In a case like this, I would first give the employer a fine, a warning, and ...
Education
- BA, Brooklyn College
- MBA/HCM, Phoenix University
Recent Feedback
- "Thank you!"
- "Thank you!"
- "Thank you!"
- "Thank you!"
- "Thank you!!"
Purchase this Solution
Free BrainMass Quizzes
Income Streams
In our ever changing world, developing secondary income streams is becoming more important. This quiz provides a brief overview of income sources.
Marketing Research and Forecasting
The following quiz will assess your ability to identify steps in the marketing research process. Understanding this information will provide fundamental knowledge related to marketing research.
Transformational Leadership
This quiz covers the topic of transformational leadership. Specifically, this quiz covers the theories proposed by James MacGregor Burns and Bernard Bass. Students familiar with transformational leadership should easily be able to answer the questions detailed below.
Marketing Management Philosophies Quiz
A test on how well a student understands the basic assumptions of marketers on buyers that will form a basis of their marketing strategies.
Learning Lean
This quiz will help you understand the basic concepts of Lean.