Is Your Business Protected Against Sexual Harassment in the Workplace?
There are many complaints that employees and former employees can bring to your business that can wreak havoc on its very essence. Wrongful termination is one, and personal injury is another. A third situation that can cause your establishment a heap of trouble is a sexual harassment charge. Any time a person views an action or a comment as a sexual invitation or suggestion, that individual can go through the chain of command to get the person reprimanded who performed the act. A former employee can cause even more trouble than a person who intends to stay with the company. Your business may have to face public humiliation, massive fines and you may have to pay a settlement to the person who reported the act of sexual harassment. Employment practice liability coverage can have you covered, however. The following is some information about the product as it relates to sexual harassment and other negative items that may come against your place of business.
What Is Employment Practices Liability?
Employment practices liability coverage is an insurance policy that covers negative situations that occur during time work as an employer. The coverage pays for various aspects of the plaintiff’s bills and may also cover legal fees, court costs and more.
Who Should Get EPL Insurance?
Any company can get EPL insurance, but it’s most beneficial to small businesses and new business. The reason is that large corporations usually have the resources to have expensive attorneys on staff. These companies usually have massive insurance plans, as well. Not many of them see a need for additional insurance. However, small businesses don’t have access to the same resources in most cases. Furthermore, new and small businesses are a bit more vulnerable because they may not have their policies and standards set up.
What Does EPL Insurance Cover
EPL insurance covers a vast assortment of complaints that may fall upon a company. One example of the type of complaint that a company may have is wrongful discharge. An ex-employee may claim that your business fired her for reasons that were not allowable by law. An example of such a person is the person’s race, disability, religion or pregnancy status. EPL insurance can cover you if someone is claiming that you failed to promote that person even though she was qualified and appeared to be the best candidate for the job. Sexual harassment is, of course, another area where you may have trouble as a company from someone who feels as though she has been treated poorly. Sexual harassment comes in many forms. It could be anything from subtle stares to not-so-funny jokes, to outright requests for favors in exchange for promotions or special tasks. EPL insurance can assist you if you’re dealing with such a situation.
How EPL Insurance Works
EPL works in a similar way to other insurance policies. As a business owner, you know best when it comes to choosing the amount of coverage that you would like for your establishment. You can get a small policy that’s as low as $25,000, or you can get the highest possible policy that can cover you for hundreds of thousands. Whatever makes you feel safe is what you should get for your business.
If you happen to come across a lawsuit, you will have to pay your deductible before the insurance company pays you out. Your deductible could be $5,000 or more. Once you pay that, your benefits will activate, and the insurance company will start taking care of business for you.
EPL Insurance and Sexual Harassment
It’s wise for you to have EPL insurance under your belt because you never know when someone is going to strike. You don’t ever want to get caught up out there with no protection at all, wondering if this lawsuit is going to ruin your business professionally and economically.
How You Can Prevent Sexual Harassment Claims Within Your Company
The best way to protect yourself and your company against sexual harassment claims is to make sure that you educate your workers and management staff so that they will know how to avoid even appearing as if they are involved in sexually harassing someone. You will also need to make sure that you draft a standard set of rules and regulations so that your employees know that engaging in sexual misconduct can threaten their jobs. You can integrate it into their new hire training if you use computerized learning modules. The actors and actresses in these videos can give your employees a close-up That will decrease the probability of a sexual harassment case happening.
How EPL Insurance Can Help You fight a Sexual Harassment Claim
The insurance money that you get from your provider doesn’t directly fight for you in a harassment case, but they can provide the funds that will allow you to hire a reputable attorney. That attorney can then fight for your rights or your innocence. In there is a conviction and a settlement that you have to pay, the insurance company can help you appease the victim and pay the amount that the courts require you to submit. It immediately lifts up any burdens that may be on you.
How to Get Employment Practice Liability Coverage Insurance
Contact O’Connor & Co. Insurance today to get a quote on EPL insurance. Just let someone know that you are interested in protecting your small business with that insurance, and the agent will take some information from you. They will then give you a quote of what you will have to pay if you want the insurance. You can decide to purchase it if the price quote sounds good to you. That’s it. You’ll have protection if anything happens. Getting a quote now is probably the smartest thing you could ever do. Agents are waiting to speak to you about this and get you set up with a new policy today.
