Harassment claim? Give boss a 3-phrase script.

How would your managers respond to an employee who confides she's being harassed by a coworker? If they ignore the complaint or, worse, say something like "Get over it," you'll be throwing away a key legal defense to a harassment lawsuit.

To prevent such mistakes, take time during harassment training to teach supervisors (and anyone else with reporting responsibilities) exactly how to respond to employees' complaints. Do role playing and encourage them to use a simple, consistent three-phrase script:

* "I'mglad you told me."

* "You are very important to us."

* "I will help you immediately!"

Then, train the manager/supervisor to immediately contact HR and report the incident.

Also, remember that sexual harassment isn't the only kind of harassment. It's unlawful to harass workers based on race, age, religion and disability, too. And employees don't have to submit their complaints in a formal office sit-down. As the following case shows, a complaint can even come in the form of a written rebuttal of an annual performance review.

Recent case: Ruth had a hearing disability since she was a child. Still, her boss frequently mocked and berated Ruth for her inability to hear well, sometimes calling her "deaf and...