compliance

Providing employees anti-discrimination or harassment prevention training makes sense. It not only protects the employer from liability and especially punitive damages; it clarifies behavioral expectations and establishes a respectful work environment. The U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling in Kolstad v. American Dental Association (1999) ruled that employers may avoid punitive damages for harassment and discrimination if they can show that a good-faith effort was made to prevent both. The Court defined good-faith efforts … “where employers are encouraged to adopt antidiscrimination policies and educate their personnel on Title VII’s prohibitions.” California and Connecticut have very specific mandates for harassment prevention training. […]