Employers Must Protect Employees from Third Party Harassment

Customers, vendors, and others that interact with a company’s employees may not always be on their best behavior. Some may even harass particular employees with repeated statements and actions. Where do employers fit in? According to a federal appellate court, an employer has a duty to protect employees from outside harassment. The case involved a city employee who was repeatedly harassed by a local building contractor. The employer, aware of the harassment, told the contractor to stop, but the harassment didn’t. The court said while the employer took some action, it wasn’t sufficient to prevent a hostile work environment. #IdeaoftheDay