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Sexual Harassment

Here are the questions filed under this category. To read Ken's advice on any item, click on the link "Read Ken's Answer."


I work with several other employees in the warehouse. By the end of the day, some of us have achy muscles. My question is what to do about a coworker who says he knows all about acupressure and can soothe our muscles. He comes up behind us and squeezes our shoulders and back. Some of the employees like it, but I do not and I have told him not to do this to me any more. He still tries once in a while.
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I'm a line supervisor for a trucking company. One of our dockmen is a bully who harasses some of his co-workers about their performance, looks, and sexuality. A number of them have complained to management, and I've brought several complaints to my immediate supervisor who has jurisdiction over this dockman, but nothing has been done. Should I go over my boss's head?
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I know it's popular to use sports language when managing, but our boss has gone to an extreme. We're always going to the hoop, trying to hit more home runs, or looking for the slam-dunk. Yesterday he gave me one of his sports talks and then patted me on the rear. I told him to never do that again. Any suggestions on how to deal with him?
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I have been employed for seven months on my present job. My boss has made several comments about my physical appearance, and he recently told me how I reminded him of a particular lingerie model. I am most uncomfortable with this situation, but I feel it probably does not qualify as sexual harassment. Do I say anything, and if so, how?
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We have some customers who bother the waitresses. I don't know if it is harassment or not, but their comments are often off-color and offensive. We told our manager about this, and he said that the customers are just being friendly and we should be nice to them. Does this sound right?
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What can be done about a woman supervisor who makes crude remarks to one employee about another? This supervisor is not liked, as she is a total control freak.
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I am a receptionist, and there is one customer who annoys me. He asks about my personal life, and he keeps asking me to go to Las Vegas with him. I have told him I'm not interested, but he persists. When I told my manager, he said I should try to be friendly to him because he is a good customer. Do I have to put up with this from a customer?
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I was interested in going for a cup of coffee or something with a woman who works here, and I have asked her a few times but she keeps saying "no." Now my supervisor has told me that she is going to make a claim of sexual harassment unless I stop doing this. How can that be? I'm not pressuring or threatening her. I won't ask her out again, but this seems wrong. What do you think?
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I made a funny comment in our lunchroom, but several people took it the wrong way. My manager called me in and said it was a form of sexual harassment. I never intended it to be taken that way, but now there's a note in my file about this incident. What should I do?
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I supervise a new employee in my department, and she is single and so am I. We ran into each other outside of work and now we see a lot of each other. We have a good time together, and I don't feel like ending it just because the company frowns on this type of thing. Is it much of a problem if we keep our relationship quiet and keep it completely out of the workplace?
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I work with several other employees in the warehouse. By the end of the day, some of us have achy muscles. My question is what to do about a co-worker who says he knows all about acupressure and can soothe our muscles. He comes up behind us and squeezes our shoulders and backs. Some of the employees like it, but I do not and I have told him not to do this to me any more. He still tries once in a while.
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I am a 27-year-old female, and I work with a senior researcher who is very well respected. The problem is that he pats me on the behind at least once a day and I can't stand it. I told a couple of other people who work here, and they said it is a cultural thing with him and it doesn't mean anything. Does that mean I can't do anything about it?
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I like to make jokes and double entendres, and one of the women who work with me said some of my comments sound sexual and she does not appreciate them. She said if it continues, she will report it to my manager. If she takes my comments as being sexually oriented, I think that's her problem. Am I right or wrong?
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