Strict pornographic policy key to avoid workplace sexual harassment lawsuits

In his study, Craig Cameron of the Griffith University identified five primary methods of what he referred to as pornography participation that required specific policies to protect both employer and employee in almost any jurisdiction.

According to Cameron, technology has allowed pornography to break into the workplace, which means that employment policies and rules must be put in place to ensure employees can enjoy their legal right to a safe workplace free of sexual harassment and discrimination.

He investigated the problem of workplace pornography from the perspective of Australian employment law but pointed out that the same technological and social issues were present in almost every country.

Cameron’s study revealed that there are five types of employee participation with pornography that are common in the workplace.

The first is simply that an employee receives pornographic material through an e-mail, unsolicited or otherwise.

The second involves the employee taking a positive action to view the content of the email and to either download material directly as an attachment or else to follow an embedded link to an inappropriate website.

The third action might involve the saving of such materials on to a computer hard disk, mobile device or external storage media.

The fourth action might involve the display of pornographic materials in the workplace or the sharing of such materials with another employee, or employees.

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