Thanks to Cheryl Winokur Munk for quoting me in her 11/15/22 article for Property & Casualty Specialist. Due to copyright restrictions, I’m only posting my contributions. The above links should take you to P&C’s website oe the article itself.
Carriers Should Prepare for Potential Rise in Sexual Harassment Claims
With more people returning to work, some employment professionals expect a rise in sexual harassment claims
By Cheryl Winokur Munk|November 15, 2022
How Insurers Can Be Proactive
With many insurance employees coming into the oce more frequently, it’s an opportune time for carriers and payers to sharpen their policies on sexual harassment and improve training, according to employment professionals.
In returning to work after a prolonged period of working at home, employees may be unsure of personal space and boundary issues, said Charles Krugel, who heads a labor and employment law practice in Chicago, in email comments. “Consequently, insurance companies, like any other company, will need to do some sort of audit or review of their workplace to examine known and unknown issues, and how to prevent them from escalating into regulatory agency complaints and lawsuits,” he said.
Additional Business Imperative
Aside from claims brought by their own employees or contractors, insurers that oer employment practices liability insurance also need to take notice of the trends, since heightened reports of sexual harassment are likely to occur across industries.
“Insurance companies which cover EPLI may need to review and adjust their deductibles and premiums to account for this increase in complaints,” Krugel said. “The more proactive insurance companies may want to increase outreach to clients to make sure that clients are ready for this too,” he said.
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