Harvey Weinstein's HR departments were 'weak'

Hollywood film producer, Harvey Weinstein, asked insiders for support to prevent his ousting from the Board, following an exposé which found he sexually harassed several female employees over decades.

According to a New York Times investigation, Weinstein was accused of harassing female employees and aspiring actresses, including Ashley Judd and Rose McGowan, and covering up allegations for over nearly three decades. Just hours before Weinstein was sacked by the Board of his company, The Weinstein Company, he sent an email to his Hollywood associates, saying he was "desperate" for help and called for the film industry to support him.

The BBC reports that those who said they saw the email, said it read: "My Board is thinking of firing me. All I'm asking is let me take a leave of absence and get into heavy therapy and counselling. A lot of the allegations are false as you know but given therapy and counselling as other people have done, I think I'd be able to get there. I could really use your support or just your honesty if you can't support me." The report also stated that the Human Resources department in both London and New York were 'weak'. 

Speaking exclusively to HR Grapevine, Rachel Suff, Public Policy Advisor at Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, explained that workplace allegations, of any type, should never be dismissed. She tells us: “Organisations should treat any form of alleged harassment seriously, not just because of the legal implications and because it can lead to under-performance, but also because people have the right to be treated with dignity and respect at work.”