New Sexual Harassment Policies at PR Agencies

Arthur Solomon, Public Relations ConsultantExcluding show biz, and that includes the modeling trade, the only business that I know that employs as many attractive females as cable TV is our business, where looks are often the prime requisite for a PR job.After years of walking the floors of agencies, I’ve often wondered if being attractive is more important than brains when the decisions are made on whom to hire. But management has always assured me that was not the case. And everyone in our business knows management never lies. Before all the sexist charges are leveled at me by eye candy hires, the same goes for central casting-like males, who might not be proficient at PR but certainly fit the roles of new business presenters.In any event, single young male account executives have told me that the old “work hard, play hard” aspect of agency life has disappeared. The new credo is “work harder, work longer hours for lower pay with little job security, unless you’re a close pal of supervisors.” And they blame Harvey Weinstein, Roger Ailes, Bill O’Reilly and President Donald J. Trump for the change of culture at agencies.According to my unscientific survey of 113 unmarried male account handlers at several New York agencies, here’s what they told me how their work life has changed since the #MeToo movement. Married men – whether presidents of agencies or the United States – were not surveyed, because, as we all know, married men always rush home to their wives after work.

• The after work drink with a pretty young AE or secretary is a thing of the past. Unwinding at the bar after a hard days work now is always with the old boy’s network. (although it should be renamed the young boy’s network, because of the fast turnover as agencies hire communications school grads at lower salaries.)
• Lunch with a female associate is frowned upon unless it’s in a group setting or the male is a high-ranking exec.
• One-on-one conversations with a female associate behind a closed door is now a cause for dismissal at some agencies, unless it’s in the office of a high-ranking corporate executive.
• Doors to private offices must be kept open, unless it’s the office door of a high-ranking corporate executive.
• It is against some agencies rules to offer a female associate a ride home after a late night of working; the protocol is now to call for a limo but always charge it to a client.
• Small talk around the water cooler between male and female associates is frowned on. Although at some agencies that was always the case; it took away billable time.
• Dancing with the same individual at a company party is not permitted. Partners must change after every dance, unless the male dancer is a high-ranking exec or has a wife who doesn’t understand him.
• When traveling overnight on business all travelers are required to fill out a form for H.R. on their return detailing the behavior of colleagues. It’s for the protection of the individuals and the agency and required by legal counsel, the form says. But senior executives traveling with female staffers are exempt from the regulation, especially if he has a wife who doesn’t understand him.
• Also, H.R. and legal counsel requires that when a male and female travel without other colleagues, staying at different hotels are a must. But senior executives are exempted from the regulation, especially if he has a wife who doesn’t understand him.
• Dating between single men and women are permitted as long as the pair meet outside of the building and do not come to work the next day at the same time in the same clothes, unless you know what.
• Complimenting a female on a new dress or hairstyle is strictly frowned upon; although female supervisors can remark on junior male staffers’ attire.
• Married men must wear wedding rings at work. But senior executives are exempted from the regulation.
• Supervisors taking a colleague to a birthday lunch is frowned upon unless the entire account group is invited. This applies to both male and female supervisors. But senior executives, above the account supervisor level, are permitted to take female employees for a birthday dinner.
• It is now required at some agencies for all employees to attend yearly lectures on sexual or other forms of harassment, as long as the billable hours are made up by the attendees.
• A male or female supervisor must never be alone on a floor after normal working hours with someone of the opposite sex. But senior executives are exempted from the regulation.
• It is against agency regulations to ever discuss sexual harassment with other employees, relatives or friends, especially if the complaints are about high-ranking corporate executives. Doing so may result in disciplinary actions, including dismissal. H.R. is the only approved channel for such discussions and not following H.R. guidelines is a serious violation of corporate conduct. Discussing harassment behavior with attorneys is akin to a capital punishment offense by H.R. But agency lobbyists are trying to change the rules prohibiting “word-boarding”, i.e. being assigned to a client who is never satisfied and continuously complains or having to spend 10 hours a day calling reporters and producers and saying, “Have I got a got story for you.”

 And if you believe the above rules are real, even though some might be, you’re reading too many April Fool’s Day columns. On a more serious note, many women refrain from reporting sexual harassment incidents because they fear it will destroy their careers. Also, as the Weinstein, Ailes, O’Reilly saga shows, it can take years, if ever, for a corporation to act against important employees.The Weinstein, Ailes, O’Reilly tale confirms what employees already, or should, know:

• High level executives and rain makers are largely exempt from in-house harassment  punishment (unless it becomes public or results in a possible lawsuit), maybe not for ever, but long enough for them to become multi-millionaires. If they are terminated, the dismissal notices are often wrapped in a platinum parachute.
• High level executives are largely exempt from dismissal if harassment charges can be handled without it becoming public.
• High level executives always are shocked to learn of harassment charges against other high level executives.

But all is not lost for sexual harassers. Those in our business that have been around the track several times know that employee manual rules are rarely used against favored employees.If reports that O’Reilly was rewarded with a $25-million buyout from Fox are true, that’s not an April Fool’s joke. It’s a miscarriage of justice for women in the work place. And if anyone believes that the negative publicity generated from the harassment scandals will discourage sexual harassment in American business, the April Fool’s joke is on them.On March 16, the Wall Street Journal had an article regarding the upcoming trial of Bill Cosby for allegedly assaulting a woman. And while Mr. Cosby is a master comedian, I’m sure he doesn’t consider the matter a joke.There likely have been millions of April Fools Day jokes played on individuals since the 14^th or 15th century (depending on which search site you use), but the best joke occurred just a few weeks ago, on Feb. 26, when President Trump, who received four educational deferments and another for bone spurs on his heals during the Vietnam war, said that even if he didn’t have a weapon he would have entered the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School to stop the shooter that killed 17 people. (By using tweets?)Question: Did White House Communications Director Hope Hicks consider Trumps bravado statement a “little white lie,” a “medium white lie,” or a “whale-sized white lie?” Considering that Ms. Hicks admitted telling white lies and Kellyanne Conway sees nothing wrong with using “alternative facts,” the April Fools Day jokes are on reporters and Trump supporters who believe that what the president, Ms. Hicks and Ms. Conway say is truthful.Have a great April Fool’s Day President Trump, Ms. Hicks and Ms. Conway. You deserve it. You certainly made fools of people who believe your lies. [author]About the Author: Arthur Solomon was a senior VP/senior counselor at Burson-Marsteller, and was responsible for restructuring, managing and playing key roles in some of the most significant national and international sports and non-sports programs. He now is a frequent contributor to public relations publications, consults on public relations projects and is on the Seoul Peace Prize nominating committee. He can be reached at arthursolomon4pr@juno.com [/author]