Albany, N.Y. – January 2, 2018 – In today's age of social media, Weinstein and the #MeToo movement, dealers can't afford to be passive about workplace harassment. At the upcoming NADA Convention & Expo, Auto/Mate's Chief People Officer Dave Druzynski will present the legal and monetary repercussions of a harassment claim, and offer best practices and training recommendations to prevent a claim from happening in the first place.

"Nowadays, harassment allegations are hitting mainstream media and social media outlets so fast, you could have people staging online boycotts of your business before you even hear about the alleged harassment," said Druzynski. "A nightmare like this can be catastrophic to your dealership's reputation and bottom line."

If your dealership's anti-harassment strategy involves handing out an outdated policy buried in an employee handbook, or showing corny 1980's VHS training tapes, your dealership and your employees are vulnerable.

"Acceptable behaviors in your dealership are not defined by your anti-harassment policy, they are defined by the behaviors you choose to tolerate," said Druzynski. "When people hear harassment, most think of sexual harassment, but harassment comes in all forms. For example, unwelcome or offensive conduct that is based on an individual’s race, religion or disability, or even some of those 'harmless' pranks that you play on the new hire, can constitute illegal harassment."

In his workshop, Druzynski will review the legal definition of harassment and cover the differences in federal versus state harassment statutes. He will also share modern-day best practices for harassment prevention.

Workshop attendees will learn how to:

• Define and build a culture of inclusion and tolerance
• Eliminate fear of retaliation for employees who want to report problems
• Respond quickly and appropriately to all reported incidents
• Attract and retain more female employees into the workplace

Prevent Workplace Harassment is scheduled for the following days and times:

Thursday, January 24 from 1:00pm - 2:00pm in Room 3003W

Saturday, January 26 from 10:30am - 11:30 am in Room 3002W

In his role as CPO at Auto/Mate, Druzynski oversees strategic HR planning, talent management, employee engagement, leadership development, compensation, and legal and regulatory compliance. He has earned the prestigious distinction as a Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) and has been certified by the Society of Human Resource Management as a Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP).

To watch a video preview of Druzynski's presentation: https://youtu.be/JS7aUBC_HNU

For information about Auto/Mate, visit http://www.automate.com or call 877-829-7020. Schedule an appointment at NADA Booth # 2301S http://bit.ly/2SY61gB

About Auto/Mate

Auto/Mate Dealership Systems is a leading provider of dealership management system software to retail automotive dealerships, typically saving dealers thousands of dollars per month from their current provider. AMPS® is a user-friendly, feature-rich DMS in use by more than 1,400 auto dealers nationwide. Auto/Mate has received multiple consecutive DrivingSales Dealer Satisfaction Awards.

Auto/Mate’s employees have more than 1,200 years of combined experience working in franchised auto dealerships, the foundation of its By Car People, For Car People™ slogan. Auto/Mate is committed to winning its customers’ business each and every month with no long-term contracts and free software upgrades.