EEOC Issues Guidance For Construction Industry On Preventing Harassment

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) issued guidance on preventing harassment in the construction industry on June 18, 2024. The EEOC states in Promising Practices for Preventing Harassment in the Construction Industry that specific guidance was necessary because workplace harassment remains prevalent in the construction industry and some of the most egregious incidents of harassment it has investigated have occurred in the industry.

The EEOC also points out that aspects of the construction industry contribute to higher risk of harassment, such as primarily male workforces, workplaces where there is pressure to conform to traditional stereotypes, and decentralized workplaces without onsite executive oversight. These factors can be exacerbated by the presence of multiple employers on a worksite and the cyclical, project-based nature of construction, it notes.