In Fiscal Year 2008, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) captured approximately $112 million in the settlement of harassment cases, sexual and others, through the administrative process. This does not include the litigation settlements of another $100 million in which harassment cases played a dominant role. It is evident by looking at EEOC’s Web site, www.eeoc.gov, that this trend continues. Of specific interest to you as an Employer is the opportunity to learn from the costly mistakes of others. Workforce Solutions hosted a joint training session with an expert EEO consultant to acquaint employers with these common mistakes and offer guidance as to how to “deter, stop and correct” any potential violation.

About the speaker
Mr. Chacon is the proprietor and principal consultant of EEO Consultants & Mediators. He is also the former deputy director of the Houston EEOC, having served as the deputy for 14 years. Mr. Chacon served as a supervisory investigator with the Houston EEOC for 30 years; prior to EEOC, he served as a senior investigator for five years in the Office of Federal Contract Compliance with both the U.S. Department of Labor and the U.S. Treasury Department. Mr. Chacon is experienced with all laws, regulations, and applicable executive orders enforced by both EEOC and OFCCP. Mr. Chacon has extensive experience in the supervision of cases supporting violations of unlawful retaliation and harassment subject to all EEOC statutes.

Prior to joining the federal government, Mr. Chacon worked for numerous community groups as a Manpower consultant and operator of training programs catering to disadvantaged minorities. Mr. Chacon also taught mathematics at the high school level in different school districts in South Texas. He graduated from Texas A&I University in Kingsville, Texas with a B.S. degree in secondary education with double majors in mathematics and Spanish. Mr. Chacon is originally from Laredo, but has lived in The Woodlands, Texas for the last 36 years.

Topics addressed:

• Recent litigation actions
• What is Unlawful Retaliation and Harassment?
• What constitutes “severe and frequent” in support of Unlawful Harassment
• Framework and Compliance for “Affirmative Defense”
• Basic components of a Harassment Policy
• Review vignettes supportive of potential “sexual harassment” violations
• How to “Deter, Stop and Correct” any potential violation

Harassment Investigation Questions Harassment Presenter Slides