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Ski Industry Considerations

In a Post Weinstein World

BY LAURA MORIARTY, SPHR, SCP

I’d be willing to bet most readers can name at least five The #MeToo Movement has been the catalyst for victims
accomplished, highly regarded public figures who have been to come forward to tell their story, hold their aggressors
accused, investigated, and dismissed from influential posi- accountable, and demand change. While ski industry leaders
tions due to shocking revelations about their behavior. In have not been subjected to scrutiny or outed publicly, we
recent months we’ve watched a cavalcade of news anchors, are held to the same legal standards established by Title VII
high-profile lawmakers, celebrities, and other captains of of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits employ-
industry cross the line and suffer the consequences at the ment discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, and
pinnacle of their careers. national origin (see figure 1). We also have a vested interest
While these reports are getting a lot of media coverage, in preserving a wholesome, fun, memorable experience for
as we know they are only a fraction of the instances of our guests, which can only happen if we ensure a rewarding
sexual harassment that occur every day in workplaces of all cultural experience for our internal team members.
kinds and configurations. Despite all the recent buzz about Recent events provide an invitation for resort leaders and
the subject—and the fact many employers have chosen team members, especially men, to enter the conversation, and
to provide sexual harassment awareness and prevention to intentionally stand up and courageously say something
training for many years —inappropriate conduct continues and do something if they see or hear about any troubling or
behind closed doors, and in some cases, even in plain sight. illegal behavior among each other. Clearly, at all levels in the
And, in what may be perceived as a distressing double workplace this is often easier said than done.
standard, some men who are accused of sexual harassment,
whether famous or not, deny the allegations and appear to Quid Pro Quo vs. Hostile
be untouchable. Environment Harassment
It is impossible to know how many talented workers have It was striking to watch the disbelief and heartbreak of
been subjected to unwanted propositions over the years, how veteran news anchors Gayle King and Nora O’Donnell of
much psychological, if not physical, damage has been caused, CBS and Samantha Guthrie and Hoda Kotb of NBC as they
how many employees have suffered retaliation for refusing learned of the nonconsensual sexual conduct and subsequent
and/or reporting advances, and how many brilliant careers termination of their respective male colleagues, Charlie Rose
have evaporated before they could get off the ground. and Matt Lauer, just nine days apart in late November 2017.

38 | NSAA JOURNAL | SPRING 2018