The allegations of sexual harassment, assault, and discrimination that surfaced recently at Boulevard Brewing were a shock to the industry, given the brewery’s prominence and the pervasive nature of the alleged misconduct. Inevitably, other breweries found themselves asking: Could this happen here? What can be done to prevent it?
Small and medium-sized breweries without dedicated human-resources departments may be scratching their heads. It’s common for small businesses not to have HR departments, says Christina Michael, a Philadelphia-based partner at Fisher Phillips, a firm that focuses on employment litigation and counseling. However, she says, that doesn’t excuse a company from developing anti-harassment, anti-discrimination, and anti-retaliation policies and systems.
“It’s particularly important in an environment [such as brewing] that gives the impression of being fun and casual. It is still a workplace,” Michael says. “The brewing industry combines manufacturing, hospitality, and alcohol, and unless you have these policies and rules up front, it can be a recipe for some challenging situations as an employer.”