How to Address a Complaint about an Unknown Harasser

Author: XpertHR Editorial Team

Workplace harassment is a serious issue that must not be taken lightly even when the complainant does not know the source of the harassment and the harassing conduct is anonymous. In fact, anonymous harassment poses challenging issues for an employer as often the employer may not be able to identify the harasser, impose discipline and/or fully satisfy the needs of the complainant by putting an end to the harassment. Still, it is necessary for an employer to do everything in its power to address the anonymous harassment since an employer may face legal liability if it knew or should have known about the harassment and failed to take prompt and reasonable measures to remedy and/or prevent it. In order to address anonymous harassment, an employer should follow these steps: