powder,
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if u go straight to the poice... AND PROVIDED that it remains non-physical... then yes, i would consider offloading this person. i dun think i need to excuse myself from this...
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i am speaking to provide a different perspective, not as if i have ever encountered this before myself or as if i had special legal knowledge. im not arguing for the sake of arguing, but i would like all of you to consider these:
1) why should harassment be non-physical before you deem that the victim is rightful to go straight to the police? non-physical types of harassment can be equally traumatising as physical. it could be gestures of a highly insulting nature, or even flashing, or unsolicitated display of other forms of obscenities, or strong language of a personal and vulgar nature. it could also be veiled threat of a lewd nature. it could even be throwing of things around (not at the abused party) which is highly abusive but yet still not strictly physical.
i am not an uptight person, but even i would think the above i describe are due causes for recourse.
if the harassment is physical, then it would be MOLEST. would you allow your staff to run to the police ONLY when it escalates to molest?
2) should an employee running to the police necessarily be construed as an act of sowing discord within a company by inviting scrutiny of the police? could it be viewed differently as an employee taking up a case with the police in her own private capacity, such that it becomes a strictly private matter among her, the alleged perpetrator and the authorities?
the exact reason why victims would consider reporting to the police is exactly because her supervisors could dismiss her as a hysterical prude.
powder, if you are to dismiss a young woman who goes to the police when she is under genuine duress (as opposed to being a hysterical prude), when going to the police seemed in her judgment to be the best way to handle the matter, i think you are being too harsh in this. she was operating out of concern for her personal safety, not as if she were out to ruin your team spirit and sow discord. why do you seek to punish a victim?
but to each his own. we all learn something everyday. today, i and all readers of this thread learn that there will be employees like you who would consider firing a woman in the condition you described.
in your first posting to this thread
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bringing it to the police will make u less desirable to work with, altho i may side u on this matter, i will offload u once this blows over. i dun like to hold staff who sow discord and seek redress over issues they should be able to handle without involving authorities etc.
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Powder, it is often what you do not say that weighs as much as what you say. in your first posting you did not mention how you would deal with the perpetrator, though you say you would fire the victim (who goes to the police). in your post today you say you would fire, but in your first post you did not.
the overall impression is a void of compassion.
you give me the feeling that you are very hard-hearted in such context. i really hope that no such thing happens to a woman serving under you because any'misstep' could lead to dismissal. as a father of a daughter yourself, you sure are high-handed.
but again, to each his own. not that im saying all these in an attempt to change your mind; im airing my observations.