QUESTION

Should I document the sexual harassment my colleague is experiencing?

Asked on Jan 08th, 2013 on Labor and Employment - Oregon
More details to this question:
In a work environment a colleague, ask me to document that another colleague pressed her breast against them. 3 times while helping with a computer problem. They stated they felt very uncomfortable. And ask me to document the incident.
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5 ANSWERS

Litigation Attorney serving Monona, WI at Fox & Fox, S.C.
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You have a personal choice whether to document the sexual harassment of your colleague. But your colleague should report the sexual harassment to their supervisor, management and/or human resources. If you provide truthful and accurate informaiton regarding the sexual harassment of your colleague, it is illegal for your employer to retaliate against you. Contact an attorney if you have any question with regard to your situation.
Answered on Jan 14th, 2013 at 2:19 PM

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Theodore M. Roe
While it is not your responsibility to document the harassment of other employees, it would certainly help their case if one is filed. Furthermore, you could not be lawfully terminated for your role as a witness to the sexual harassment. This is called "retaliation" and would provide you with an independent cause of action if you were fired.
Answered on Jan 11th, 2013 at 12:10 PM

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Administrative Law Attorney serving Sherwood, OR
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The conduct of the offending individual should be reported to Human Resources along with the names of persons who witnessed the event. It is always a very good idea to document dates, times, and specific facts about events that violate the law or company policies. For your own protection keep the information somewhere other than at work or on company technology. If you are disciplined or terminated by your employer in retaliation for raising issues the information will disappear if on company equipment or on their facilities. It is also always a good idea to report misconduct to others and have them document the date and time that you told them, you can accomplish them by speaking with them about the details and then follow the conversation up with an email that says, "Thank you for talking to me today about ... Your willingness to listen and support me in this matter means a lot to me." In this way you will have an electronic document that has a date and time stamp that proves when you told someone else about the events. This will strengthen your position down the road if problems occur. You should seek the advice of an attorney who deals with employment matters if this situation continues or if you would like additional help. You will need to share more specific details to get more valuable advice.
Answered on Jan 11th, 2013 at 12:09 PM

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Chapter 13 Bankruptcy Attorney serving Winston-Salem, NC at Love and Dillenbeck Law
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Your friend needs to report this to her HR department and not rely on your documentation.
Answered on Jan 11th, 2013 at 12:09 PM

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You may document anything you wish. I assume, when you say "document" you mean make a private record, for future use. What do you do with that documentation? I suggest you report to Human Resources any situation that makes you uncomfortable.
Answered on Jan 11th, 2013 at 12:09 PM

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