In relation to what I blogged about last time from next week UK employers are required to protect staff members from sexual harassment by customers, tradesmen and other people they are contractually obliged to have contact with during their employment (source), if they fail to do so they may be liable for damages. This is fantastic news for bar and restaurant staff across the country, although I'm not too sure how effective such a law would be in actually cutting down the amount of harassment by members of the public. The worst job I ever worked in terms of getting groped (also in terms of poor pay, levels of physical labour and the resulting blisters) was catering for weddings. The female staff members used to keep a running tally of how many times each of us had been groped by liquored up guests (the winner getting first dibs on the left over alcohol from the free bar, I never once attended a wedding where everything was finished - let me tell you that would never happen if I were the one throwing the party or, you know, attending it as a guest). There was nothing that our boss could have done about this whatsoever, short of physically removing every drunken uncle and groomsman from the room (leaving a grand total of about twelve guests in some cases), she was utterly powerless. It might be slightly more useful in a controlled atmosphere, taking another example from my experience (if a little by proxy) - one of my friends used to work for a transport company. The regulations concerning harassment were clearly laid out within the company itself but she did have trouble when dealing with outside contractors, her bosses felt that their hands were tied as they had no direct control over (or legal responsibility for) workers who weren't under their direct employment. This kind of legislation could have made her working life infinitely more pleasant.
To be honest any law that moves us towards a situation where workers are able to do their job free from harassment (and I'm not just referring to female employees here either - I once worked with a guy who was pestered relentlessly by a customer "on behalf of" her daughter, culminating in an offer of £10,000 for him to take her out dancing... did I mention this customer was incredibly drunk? And too rich for her own good?) is a step in the right direction.
As for you the lovely, and silent, commenters - any stories of workplace hideousness to share?
how timely!
at 10:21
Monday 31 March 2008
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I was a server in college at a restaurant known mostly for their breakfast served all day menu. I worked what I lovingly refer to as the "drunk shift" which was 10 pm - 6 am. Unfortunately for me, my manager (female, shockingly) said to "suck it up" when I was sexually harassed by drunk college boys or just plain crude middle-aged men.
My personal favorite was the night that 2 Harley riding men in their sixties asked me if I had a to go box for my p***y. (I hate that word and refuse to use it in this context as it was quite insulting to me.) Then, as I turned to go to my managers office and turn in my apron and order pad, they smacked me on the ass. It took all of my self control to not whip around and slap both of them.
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