Employers need to define policy on harassment. (Employee Benefits)

Employers who want to avoid harassment and discrimination complaints and lawsuits should develop a policy against such problems and let employees know about it, said Lynn Y. Bruner, district director of the St. Louis office of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

"Employers should have well-defined guidelines on how their company will deal with conduct of that nature," Bruner said. "They should have a policy statement on sexual and racial harassment, saying that it is unlawful and the company doesn't allow employees to engage in that conduct.

"They also need to have a well-articulated mechanism to respond to complaints."

She said a grievance …