Discussion - Employee: Whistle Blowing and Sexual Harassment

You work in a department where a fellow employee has confided to you that she is being sexually harassed by her manager. The employee is reluctant to say or do anything for fear of retaliation. She needs her job as she is a single mother of two and can't afford to be unemployed. You feel you need to help this employee, but there are risks.

Format your original responses to these questions by listing them as answers a, b, c.

a) What counsel or advice would you give to the employee? Be specific and clear in your response as to action steps for her to take.

b) If the employee refuses to take any action, what choices do you believe you have to consider particularly since the employee confided in you? Personally, if you were in this situation, what would you do, if anything?

c) If HR were to be notified, assume you are the HR professional-- what particular steps would you take to address this problem? Be specific as to your action steps, who you would speak to about this problem and what might you say to the manager himself.

Textbook - Human Resource Management, Fifteenth Edition by Robert L. Mathis, John J. Jackson, Sean R. Valentine, Patricia Meglich

Chapter 15 - Employee Rights and Responsibilities.