Under MA General Laws, Chapter 151B, employers with six or more employees are REQUIRED to adopt a written policy against sexual harassment.
An employer’s policy must include notice to employees that sexual harassment in the workplace is unlawful and that it is unlawful to retaliate against an employee for filing a complaint of sexual harassment. The policy should also assert the employer’s commitment to investigate any complaint of sexual harassment. If you do not have a policy or you need an updated policy, please let us know.
Further, MA law encourages employers to conduct education and training programs on sexual harassment for all employees on a regular basis (suggested annually). At the time of an employee’s hire, and again at the anti-harassment training, the written policies against sexual harassment are distributed. If the training is done virtually, we can provide the materials in hard copy or have you upload the policies to your employee portal.
Should you wish to schedule your annual anti-sexual harassment training session before the summer (when many employees take their PTO), kindly reach out to this office by email and indicate preferred dates for May and June. We will do our best to accommodate the dates requested.)
Feel free to contact us should you have any questions. We are available to assist in updating your policies to reflect the changes outlined above. In addition, we can help you determine if your employees should be categorized as non-exempt or exempt or assist you with any other employment needs you may have.
Attorney Helene Horn Figman combines specialized legal knowledge in employment law with the skills and perspectives uniquely suited to Human Resources Consulting www.figmanlaw.com
Information about her anti-harassment and anti-discrimination education programs can be found at www.workplaceawarenesstraining.com
This article has been prepared by the Law Offices of Helene Horn Figman, P.C. for general informational purposes only. It does not constitute legal advice and is presented without any representation of warranty whatsoever.
LAW OFFICES OF HELENE HORN FIGMAN P.C.
Human Resources Consulting and Employment Law Compliance
45 Bristol Drive Suite 207
South Easton, MA 02375
hfigman@figmanlaw.com
www.figmanlaw.com
(508) 238-2700
This law office does not provide tax counsel, accounting advice or employee benefit guidance.