The EEOC has launched a campaign called "Youth@Work". This was described by the EEOC as a "national initiative to promote equal employment opportunity for our nation's next generation of workers." Part of the goal of this campaign is to publicize issues regarding sexual harassment of teenaged workers.

There are three main components to the program. The first is the website, http://youth.eeoc.gov. This website has materials for young workers describing their equal employment opportunity rights and responsibilities. It offers descriptions of different types of illegal job discrimination and "suggests strategies they can use to prevent and, if necessary, respond to such discrimination." The site includes an interactive program called "Challenge Yourself!" that the EEOC says "provides an opportunity for young workers to test their knowledge by analyzing sample job discrimination scenarios." It also contains examples of recent EEOC cases involving young workers.

The second component is free outreach events with EEOC Commissioners and field office staff for high school students, youth organizations, and small businesses who employ young workers. The website explains that these events cover information about the laws enforced by EEOC and the rights and responsibilities of employers and employees and are aimed at "assisting young workers as they enter and navigate the professional world" and encouraging employers to proactively address discrimination issues confronting young workers.

The third component is partnerships with business leaders, human resource groups, and industry trade associations. The website states that the EEOC plans on hosting a series of forums and roundtable discussions with business leaders, human resource groups, industry trade associations, and others to explore workplace trends and challenges affecting young workers. The EEOC is especially interested in hearing from businesses and industry associations about the types of technical assistance, guidance or other tools that would be helpful for them to manage young workers.

While you should already be working to ensure employees are not subject to sexual or other forms of harassment, this initiative is a good reminder that young workers may need additional training to ensure they are aware of their rights and responsibilities in the workplace.

RUDMAN & WINCHELL
ATTORNEYS

This Newsletter is designed to provide information of a general nature only and is not intended to replace or provide professional legal advice.