For 21st Century law enforcement, the reality is that “traditional” civil liability lawsuits have become outpaced by employee claims against other employees, their supervisors and the city, county or state governing entity under which the law enforcement agency falls. Having policies on sexual and workplace harassment is a start, but it is not enough. Training for members and supervisors in the various types of potential harassment and avoiding discrimination prohibited by the “alphabet soup” of federal laws (e.g. ADA, ADEA, FMLA, FLSA) as well as state provisions and even local ordinances is essential. Knowing how to properly respond when discrimination or harassment is alleged is essential in today’s workforce.
At the same time, the “traditional” sexual or other harassment training, treating the problems as primarily a “legal” issue—with its primary focus on avoiding liability and lawsuits—provides essentially a reactive approach once problems have surfaced and often has failed to discuss other types of harassment beyond sexual harassment and has neglected discussion of methods to prevent the problems from even occurring. This course provides the traditional “legal” elements but expands to help participants to understand that peer-to-peer involvement in defining workplace expectations and holding one another accountable to meet those expectations is an important aspect of minimizing harassment in the workplace. Oftentimes an informal chat with a co-worker has more impact at preventing an atmosphere of harassment than pages of printed policy. This course discusses what the laws say, but also provides an opportunity to discuss and evaluate strategies to promote a culture of respect in the workplace and to promote an atmosphere where co-workers hold one another accountable. In this regard, it attempts to do more than just “avoid a lawsuit” by avoiding the culture in which the basis for lawsuits is allowed to exist, fester, and explode into a major problem.
Participants will have opportunities to discuss situations, brainstorm ideas for success, and will walk away with a better self-evaluation of their own responsibilities as well as concepts to apply in working with and/or supervising others. At the same time, the course has substantial content and review of standards imposed by law.