Why teams need this
Many employees are unsure what counts as sexual harassment, and many stay silent. Managers laugh off "jokes" or mishandle a complaint, and employers do not know their legal duties. Under the Employment Act, Part XVA requires employers to inquire into complaints. The 2022 amendments also removed the wage-based exemption and added a workplace awareness notice.
Two legal tracks
Under the Employment Act, an employer who will not inquire must give written reasons within 30 days, and the penalty was raised from RM10,000 to RM50,000 by the 2022 amendment. Under the Anti-Sexual Harassment Act 2022, the Tribunal can order an apology, compensation up to RM250,000 or attendance at a programme, but it cannot order reinstatement. One 2026 article notes neither forum is bound by the other's findings.
Case: the Federal Court, 2016
In Mohd Ridzwan Abdul Razak v Asmah Hj Mohd Nor, the court recognised sexual harassment as a tort and upheld RM120,000 in damages (RM100,000 general plus RM20,000 aggravated). It also held that third-party corroboration is not required. The Tribunal's first award in July 2024 ordered an employer to apologise, with no compensation, within the 60-day window. As of 7 June 2026, the Tribunal reported 99 complaints, with 80 resolved within 60 days of the first hearing.
What the research says works
Dobbin and Kalev (HBR, 2020) examined more than 800 US companies with over 8 million employees. They found mandatory training on forbidden behaviour was followed by a drop of more than 5% in white women in management, and that legalistic grievance procedures backfired. Retaliation was severe: they report that two-thirds of women who reported their harassers were subsequently assaulted, taunted, demoted or fired. Bystander training and manager-focused training worked better, and at MIT more than 90% of people using the ombuds office wanted an informal, confidential process. The course is designed around these findings.
Group work and role-play
Teams sort sample scenarios against the definition and decide the first manager action for each. Then they role-play receiving a complaint from a nervous employee, and a bystander scenario where someone makes an unwelcome comment in a meeting.
Exercises use your policy, complaint channels and reporting lines. This course is not legal advice.
