Never tolerate harassment by customers.

Your supervisors probably know by now that they have a legal duty to protect their employees from harassment and assault by co-workers. But make sure your managers also know they must provide that same level of protection from customers, clients and other third parties in the workplace.

This verdict--a $2.4 hammer on a New Jersey company--should serve as a good eye-opener.

Recent case: A bank employee complained to managers that a customer ground his crotch against her buttocks. The bank briefly banned the man from the bank but eventually let him return. It took no other steps to protect the employee.

Along with filing a police report, the employee sued the bank under state law...