Chapter 3: Preventing Sexual Harassment in the Workplace for Illinois Professionals, 2nd edition (Mandatory) 1 CE Hour
By : Julie Wallin Culligan, PhD, FAIHM, MEd, NBC-HWC, CYT-200 Learning outcomes Describe sexual harassment according to Illinois Public Act 100–0554. Describe mandates of Illinois Public Act 100–0554. Recognize federal mandates related to sexual harassment in the workplace. professionals perceive and make treatment decisions, ultimately resulting in disparities in health outcomes. These biases, often unconscious and unintentional, can shape behavior and produce differences in medical care along various lines, including race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, and socioeconomic status. Healthcare disparities stemming from implicit bias can manifest in several ways. For example, a healthcare provider might unconsciously give less attention to a patient Implicit bias in healthcare Implicit bias significantly affects how healthcare or make assumptions about their medical needs based on race, gender, or age. The unconscious assumptions can lead to delayed or inadequate care, misdiagnoses, or inappropriate treatments, all of which can adversely impact
Describe how to report sexual harassment in the workplace. Discuss the impact of sexual harassment in the workplace. Identify ways to prevent sexual harassment in the workplace. health outcomes. Addressing implicit bias in healthcare is crucial for achieving equity in medical treatment. Strategies to combat these biases involve education and awareness programs for healthcare professionals. These programs help individuals recognize and acknowledge their biases, fostering a more empathetic and unbiased approach to patient care. Additionally, implementing policies and procedures prioritizing equitable treatment for all patients can play a pivotal role in reducing healthcare disparities. Ultimately, confronting implicit bias in healthcare is essential to creating a more just and equitable healthcare system where everyone receives fair and equal treatment regardless of their background or characteristics.
INTRODUCTION
Between fiscal years (FY) 2018 and 2021, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) received 98,411 allegations charging harassment in the workplace. Of these, 27,291 (35.4%) alleged sexual harassment. Women filed 62.2% of these harassment charges and 78.2% of all sexual harassment charges FY 2018–2021. Of note, in the two years following the #MeToo movement going viral (October 2017), the number of sexual harassment charges received by the EEOC temporarily increased from 6,696 (FY 2017) to 7,609 (FY 2018) and 7,514 (FY 2019) only to then decrease in both FY 2020 (6,587) and FY 2021 (5,581), below pre-#MeToo numbers (Office of Enterprise Data and Analytics [OEDA], 2022). This basic-level course will help Illinois Healthcare professionals identify sexual harassment in the workplace, prevent it, and take appropriate action if it occurs. Jason begins to explain his ideas, Mark nods and places his hand on Jason’s upper thigh. Mark smiles and says, “You know, Jason, I really admire you. You have a great work ethic and innovative ideas. I am in a position to help you advance in your career. I think we could become good friends and enjoy ourselves outside of the workplace as well. Our friendship could benefit both of us, and no one ever needs to know.” Jason is horrified. “What do I do?” he thinks. “This guy is a married man with kids who is propositioning me! He could really mess up my career. What do I do? Whom do I tell? Would anyone believe me?”
Anyone can be sexually harassed regardless of sex, gender identification, or age. Both men and women can be targets of sexual harassment, and it can be peer against peer, supervisor against employee, and even subordinates against supervisor (Enright, 2020). Data on the lifetime prevalence of sexual harassment vary, likely due to variances in reporting and how individuals define harassment in their life. Stop Street Harassment’s nationally representative 2018 online survey indicated that 81% of women and 42% of men over the age of 18 reported experiencing sexual harassment in the workplace sometime during their lifetime (Raj et al., 2021). According to a Marketplace-Edison Research Poll, those in the south (25%) were the most likely to have experienced sexual harassment at work. The northeast was the next highest at 21%, and the west and Midwest were the lowest at 18% and 17%, respectively (Edison Research, 2018). Case study 1 Jason is a newly promoted director of behavioral health. He worked hard for this promotion and is eager to fulfill his responsibilities as part of the management team. Jason currently serves on an interdisciplinary task force. The organization’s chief executive officer (CEO) frequently attends these task force meetings. After one of these meetings, the CEO stops Jason and asks that he make an appointment to discuss Jason’s ideas. Jason is flattered and makes the appointment with Mark Williams, the CEO. When Jason arrives, Mark encourages him to sit down next to him on the couch in his office. Pictures of Mark’s wife and three children are displayed prominently around the office. As
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Book Code: MIL1224
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