A. Presentation Outline I. Introduction a. Audience hook: According to Horan (2013), anywhere between 40-47% of employees have been involved in an office romance, some of which include romantic, supervisor/subordinate relationships, and the best way to stop sexual harassment in the workplace is to prevent it (“Facts about sexual,” n.d.). b. Thesis statement: Research suggests that adopting a policy, regulating the conduct of employees, can be instrumental in preventing unethical behaviors in the workplace (Kaptein, 2011, p. 233). c. Preview of main points: i. Unwelcomed sexual harassment occurring in the workplace can impact work environment. ii. Prevention is the best way employers can eliminate sexual harassment in the workplace. II. Unwelcomed sexual harassment in the workplace can be physical, verbal, or visual, and violates Title VII. a. Quid pro quo and a hostile work environment are types of sexual harassment.
i. Quid pro quo refers to an exchange of sexual favors for a job benefit or an employment decision that’s based on an employee accepting, tolerating, or participating in an unwelcomed conduct of a sexual nature (“Sexual harassment on,” n.d.). ii. A hostile work environment occurs when unwelcomed sexual conduct unreasonably interferes with an employee’s job performance or a hostile, intimidating, or offensive work environment is created (“Sexual harassment on,” n.d.). b. In 1986, the landmark case of Meritor Savings Bank v. Vinson dramatically altered the way companies view romantic supervisor/subordinate relationships. i. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled, just because a subordinate has sex with a supervisor, it does “…not detract from the coercive nature of the relationship” (Dresang, 2009, p. 244). ii. Title VII prohibits sexual harassment because it is a form of illegal sexual discrimination (“Facts about sexual,”