Anti-Jewish hate crimes were slightly down this year from last, but antisemitism continues to be an issue that needs to be addressed. In one survey of American Jews, 88% of respondents said they feel that antisemitism in a problem in the U.S. Only 3% report believing it’s on the decline. So what can you do to prevent and address antisemitism in the workplace? Start with these steps:
- Encourage diversity and inclusion by recognizing holidays and special traditions for all faiths. Organizational commitment to diversity, inclusion, and tolerance should be spelled out in formal policies, onboarding programs, and elsewhere.
- Messages or symbols of hate in the workplace are unacceptable, and employers generally would have legitimate legal grounds to prohibit such conduct. These messages or symbols could be considered a form of workplace harassment by targets of the messaging or those who are offended by the symbols. Of course, policies should be spelled out in writing.
- Take all complaint or concerns about antisemitism seriously and investigate each one. The same consequences must be applied to all employees, regardless of their status or title.
