Anti-Harassment Policy Template for Small Business
Quick Answer
An anti-harassment policy explains that harassment won't be tolerated, defines it, gives employees several ways to report it, explains how complaints are investigated and prohibits retaliation. The EEOC defines harassment as unwelcome conduct based on protected characteristics such as race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age 40 or older, disability or genetic information. Title VII applies to employers with 15 or more employees, but state and local laws may cover smaller employers, and every business benefits from a clear policy.
Every business owner hopes harassment will never happen on their team. But hoping isn't a plan. When an employee experiences or witnesses harassment, they need to know what to do, who to tell and that they won't be punished for speaking up. Managers need to know how to respond. And the business needs a clear, consistent way to handle complaints.
A written anti-harassment policy provides that. It sets expectations, gives people safe ways to report problems and helps the business respond quickly and fairly. This guide explains what harassment is under federal law, what your policy should include, a free template, how to handle reports and how to train your team.
Note: This is general information, not legal advice. Federal, state and local laws on harassment vary, and state law may add requirements for policies or training. Have an employment attorney review your policy.
What Is Workplace Harassment?
The EEOC defines harassment as unwelcome conduct based on race, color, religion, sex (including sexual orientation, transgender status or pregnancy), national origin, age (40 or older), disability or genetic information.
According to the EEOC, harassment becomes unlawful when:
- Enduring the offensive conduct becomes a condition of continued employment, or
- The conduct is severe or pervasive enough to create a work environment that a reasonable person would consider intimidating, hostile or abusive.
The EEOC says petty slights, annoyances and isolated incidents, unless extremely serious, generally won't rise to the level of illegality. But your policy can, and usually should, set a higher standard than the legal minimum, so problems are addressed early.
| Examples of conduct a policy should prohibit | |
|---|---|
| Offensive jokes, slurs or name-calling | Unwanted touching or physical contact |
| Threats or intimidation | Offensive pictures, messages or posts |
| Mocking someone's religion, accent or disability | Unwelcome sexual advances or requests |
| Insults based on a protected characteristic | Interfering with someone's work because of who they are |
Who Can Be Responsible
The EEOC explains that employers can be liable for harassment by supervisors, coworkers and even non-employees, such as customers or contractors, in certain circumstances:
- Supervisors: an employer is automatically liable when a supervisor's harassment results in a negative employment action, such as termination, failure to promote or hire, or loss of wages. For a hostile environment created by a supervisor, an employer may avoid liability if it can show it reasonably tried to prevent and promptly correct the behavior, and the employee unreasonably failed to use the options provided.
- Coworkers and non-employees: an employer is liable if it knew, or should have known, about the harassment and failed to take prompt and appropriate corrective action.
This is why a clear policy, multiple reporting options and prompt action matter so much.
Which Businesses Are Covered?
The EEOC says Title VII and the ADA apply to employers with 15 or more employees, and the Age Discrimination in Employment Act applies to employers with 20 or more. State and local laws may cover smaller employers. Even if federal law doesn't apply to you, a clear policy protects your team and your business.
What to Include in an Anti-Harassment Policy
| Section | What it covers |
|---|---|
| Policy statement | Harassment won't be tolerated |
| Who it covers | Employees, managers, owners, and conduct by customers, vendors and contractors |
| Definitions | What harassment is, with examples |
| Where it applies | The workplace, work events, travel, phone, email, messaging and social media |
| How to report | Several ways to report, including someone other than the employee's manager |
| Manager duties | Managers must report what they see or hear |
| Investigation | Prompt, fair and as confidential as possible |
| Corrective action | Discipline up to termination |
| No retaliation | Clear protection for anyone who reports or participates |
| Acknowledgment | Employees sign that they've received the policy |
Free Anti-Harassment Policy Template
Anti-Harassment Policy
Our commitment: [Company] is committed to a workplace free from harassment and discrimination. Harassment of any kind will not be tolerated.
Who this covers: All employees, managers and owners. It also covers harassment of our employees by customers, vendors, contractors and visitors.
What is prohibited: Unwelcome conduct based on race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation and gender identity), national origin, age, disability, genetic information or any other characteristic protected by law. This includes slurs, offensive jokes, threats, intimidation, unwanted touching, unwelcome sexual advances, offensive images or messages, and any conduct that interferes with someone's work because of a protected characteristic. We expect respectful behavior even when conduct may not meet the legal definition of harassment.
Where it applies: At work, at work-related events, during work travel and in any work communication, including phone, email, text, messaging apps and social media.
How to report: If you experience or witness harassment, report it to any of the following:
• Your manager
• [Second contact, e.g., the owner or operations manager]
• [Third option, e.g., HR provider or email/hotline]
You don't have to report to the person harassing you, and you don't have to report to your manager first.
Managers: Managers who see, hear about or receive a report of harassment must report it to [contact] right away.
Investigation: We will investigate all reports promptly and fairly. We will keep information as confidential as possible, sharing it only with those who need to know.
Corrective action: Anyone who violates this policy will face disciplinary action, up to and including termination.
No retaliation: We will not tolerate retaliation against anyone who reports harassment in good faith or takes part in an investigation. Report any retaliation right away.
Acknowledgment: I have received and read this policy.
Employee signature: [ ] Date: [ ]
Have an employment attorney review the policy for your state, since state law may set specific requirements for what policies must include.
Setting Up Reporting Options
The EEOC recommends that employers have an effective complaint or grievance process. In a small business, that can be challenging, because there may be only one manager or the owner may be the problem. Offer at least two or three ways to report:
- The employee's manager.
- The owner or another senior person.
- An outside HR provider, attorney or hotline.
- A dedicated email address checked by someone other than the manager.
Make sure employees can always report to someone other than the person they're reporting about.
How to Respond to a Report
- Thank the person for coming forward and take it seriously.
- Listen and document what they tell you.
- Take immediate steps if needed to stop the behavior or protect the employee, without punishing the person who reported.
- Investigate promptly: interview the people involved and witnesses, and gather messages or other evidence. See the HR investigation template.
- Decide on findings based on the evidence.
- Take corrective action that fits the situation.
- Follow up with the person who reported, and check that the behavior has stopped.
- Watch for retaliation.
If the complaint involves a manager or the owner, consider bringing in an outside investigator. See what to do when an employee files a complaint against a manager.
Preventing Retaliation
The EEOC says the law forbids retaliation against people who file a charge, testify, participate in an investigation or oppose practices they reasonably believe are discriminatory. Retaliation can include firing, demoting, cutting hours, giving worse assignments, excluding someone or treating them coldly after they report. Train managers to recognize it and to treat people who report fairly.
Training Your Team
The EEOC recommends providing anti-harassment training to managers and employees. State law may also require harassment training for certain employers. Good training is:
- Practical, with real examples from workplaces like yours.
- Clear about reporting, including all the ways to report.
- Specific for managers, covering how to respond and their duty to report.
- Regular, such as at onboarding and once a year.
- Documented, with records of who completed it. See the employee training log template.
Bystander Intervention
Coworkers often see harassment before managers do. Encourage employees to speak up safely when they see something wrong: interrupt the situation, check on the person affected, document what they saw and report it. A culture where people look out for each other prevents many problems before they grow.
Common Anti-Harassment Policy Mistakes
- Only one way to report, usually the employee's manager.
- No retaliation protection in the policy.
- Policy exists but no one has read it.
- Managers not trained on how to respond.
- Slow responses to complaints.
- Ignoring harassment by customers or vendors.
- Promising total confidentiality, which may not be possible during an investigation.
- Not following up after a complaint.
Anti-Harassment Checklist
| Step | Done? |
|---|---|
| Write the policy with definitions and examples | |
| Offer at least two or three ways to report | |
| Include a clear no-retaliation statement | |
| Collect signed acknowledgments | |
| Train managers and employees | |
| Set up an investigation process | |
| Check state policy and training requirements | |
| Review the policy each year |
Rolling Out Your Policy
- Share it with every employee, including part-time and seasonal staff.
- Explain it in a team meeting, focusing on how to report and the no-retaliation promise.
- Collect signed acknowledgments and keep them on file.
- Post it where employees can easily find it.
- Include it in onboarding for every new hire. See the new hire orientation checklist.
- Train managers first, so they know how to respond.
- Review it once a year and after any significant incident.
Handling Harassment by Customers
In restaurants, retail, home services and other customer-facing businesses, harassment often comes from customers rather than coworkers. The EEOC says employers can be responsible for harassment by non-employees they have some control over, if they knew or should have known and didn't act promptly. Steps you can take:
- Tell employees they can report customer harassment the same way as coworker harassment.
- Back employees up: remove them from the situation, assign another employee or ask the customer to leave.
- Refuse future service to repeat offenders where appropriate.
- Document incidents.
- Train managers on how to step in.
Remote and Digital Harassment
Harassment doesn't only happen in person. Messages, texts, video calls and social media can all be part of the workplace. Make sure your policy covers work communication on any platform, and remind employees that the same standards apply online. Save screenshots or messages when investigating.
Documenting Complaints
| What to record | Why |
|---|---|
| Date and time of the report | Shows prompt response |
| Who reported and who is involved | Clarity for the investigation |
| What was described, in their words | Accurate record |
| Immediate steps taken | Shows protective action |
| Investigation steps and findings | Supports the decision |
| Corrective action and follow-up | Shows the issue was addressed |
Keep complaint records confidential and separate from regular personnel files, sharing them only with people who need to know.
Questions Employees Often Ask
"What if the harasser is my manager?" You can report to any of the other contacts in the policy. You never have to report to the person involved.
"Will my report be kept confidential?" Information will be shared only with those who need to know to investigate and resolve it. Complete confidentiality may not always be possible.
"Will I get in trouble for reporting?" No. Retaliation against anyone who reports in good faith is not allowed.
What Managers Should Do Every Day
A policy only works if managers model it. Managers set the tone by speaking up when jokes or comments cross the line, treating everyone with respect, responding quickly when someone raises a concern and never brushing off a complaint as "just how things are." Even small, consistent actions show employees the policy is real. When managers stay silent, employees assume the policy is just words on paper.
Encourage managers to check in with their teams regularly and ask whether anything is making work uncomfortable. Early, informal conversations can surface problems before they grow.
Reviewing Your Policy Each Year
Set a yearly reminder to review the policy. Check whether reporting contacts are still correct, whether state law has changed, whether training is up to date and whether any complaints point to gaps in the policy. Update the date on the policy and share the new version with everyone.
Ask a few employees whether the policy is clear and whether they'd know how to report a problem. Their answers will tell you whether the policy is working in practice, not just on paper.
Share what you learn with managers so they can reinforce the policy with their teams throughout the year.
A short reminder at a team meeting each quarter keeps the reporting options fresh in everyone's mind.
Support a Respectful Workplace With Updoot
Updoot's SOP management keeps your anti-harassment policy and reporting steps easy to find, with acknowledgments tracked. The company intranet makes it simple to share policy updates, and project management helps track investigation steps and follow-up actions.
Sources
Related Reading