Zara is a Year 12 student completing a two-week placement at a medium-sized printing business. The workplace uses a group chat app for staff on each shift. On Zara’s third day, a leading hand (Sam) posts a message late at night to the group chat: “New trainee looks like she’d be fun at the Christmas party 😉”. Two other workers react with laughing emojis. The next day, Sam repeatedly calls Zara “sweetheart” and “good girl” while showing her how to use a machine, and later says, “If you want more shifts after placement, you should smile more for me.” Zara looks uncomfortable and becomes quieter during the shift.
At lunch, Zara tells a co-worker (Leigh) that she doesn’t want to cause trouble and that Sam is “probably just joking”. Leigh replies that it is only a problem if Sam touches her, and that group chat messages “don’t count because it’s not in the workshop”.
Zara wants to know whether what happened could be workplace sexual harassment and what characteristics make it sexual harassment rather than normal workplace banter.
Suggest two immediate, practical actions Zara could take that align with recognising the characteristics of workplace sexual harassment and responding appropriately. For each action, briefly explain how it relates to the scenario.
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Create Free Account Log inThis is a free VCE Units 3 & 4 VM Work Related Skills practice question worth 4 marks, testing your understanding of Workplace sexual harassment characteristics. It falls under Workplace responsibilities and rights in Unit 3: VM Work Related Skills Unit 3: Industrial relations, workplace environment and practice. Submit your answer above to receive instant AI-powered marking and personalised feedback.
This unit focuses on the core elements of a healthy, collaborative, inclusive and harmonious workplace and is separated into three main areas: wellbeing, culture and the employee-employer relationship; workplace relations; and communication and collaboration. Students will learn how to maintain positive working relationships with colleagues and employers, understanding the characteristics of a positive workplace culture and its relationship to business success. They will investigate key areas relating to workplace relations including methods for determining pay and conditions, workplace bullying, workplace discrimination, workplace harassment and dispute resolution. Students will discover how teamwork and communication skills contribute to healthy, collegiate and productive workplaces.
In this area of study students will explore workplace relations, including the National Employment Standards and methods of determining pay and conditions. They will consider the characteristics and legal consequences of workplace bullying, workplace discrimination and workplace harassment, and gain an overview of the common legal issues experienced in the workplace. Students will examine processes to address and resolve workplace disputes. On completion of this unit the student should be able to outline the National Employment Standards and methods for determining pay and conditions, explain the characteristics of workplace bullying, discrimination and sexual harassment, and outline the processes and legal consequences for breaches and analyse the personal ramifications that may follow.
characteristics of workplace sexual harassment
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