SMART STAGE ‘I Complained to HR and Nothing Happened’: Balancing Transparency and Confidentiality When Responding to Harassment
From the very early news stories that launched the #MeToo movement through the reports that followed, a common narrative began to emerge: that harassment victims had complained to HR and “nothing happened.” As HR knows well, maintaining confidentiality is critical when handling highly sensitive issues like harassment; however, transparency is also important for demonstrating accountability, earning trust and preserving culture. While there is no simple solution to this challenge, this presentation will provide some tips for how an organization can move the needle on transparency and, by doing so, demonstrate its commitment to a culture that is hostile to harassment.
Elizabeth Bille, JD, SHRM-SCP
![](https://sessionplanner.shrm.org/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/Elizabeth-Bille.jpg?itok=w4k5heDK)
Elizabeth Bille is an employment law attorney and currently serves as the subject matter expert on the prevention of harassment and discrimination in the workplace for EVERFI. Prior to joining EVERFI, Elizabeth was general counsel and chief ethics officer of the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM); served as a legal and policy advisor to the Vice Chair of the EEOC; and counseled employers at the law firm of Hogan & Hartson (now Hogan Lovells). Elizabeth's work has been cited by several news outlets such as National Public Radio, the Wall Street Journal, and the New York Times.
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