Global Obstacles Deter Sexual-Harassment Prevention

​When employees in other countries are sexually harassed, what obstacles stand in the way of making the employer pay for the worker’s suffering due to harassment?

A big challenge for victims is that while laws differ from country to country, an individual accused of harassing a co-worker usually has strong employment-based rights, according to Bonnie Puckett, an attorney in Atlanta who leads Ogletree Deakins’ Asia-Pacific practice. Puckett explained that in many countries, employees—including those accused of misconduct—can be fired only for a “valid reason.” If he or she is fired without a valid reason, the employee can challenge the dismissal and obtain a reinstatement order.

“In many countries, what constitutes a valid reason is very…