This is a true story of an actual mediation. The names and location have been changed to protect the parties and the company.
Background of the story: the parties are 2 co-workers in a company. Let's call them Dick and Jane. They are in conflict regarding a sexual harassment complaint against Jane, by Dick. The supervisor referred them to mediation and both agreed to mediate.
Dick filed a sexual harassment complaint, about the language, lewd comments and sexual innuendoes Jane used toward him in the department in front of co-workers. He wanted to try mediation when the supervisor suggested it; he thought it would be a good place to share his concerns and resolve them.
Jane was considered a hard worker and a good person by everyone. Her language style was her way of welcoming Dick. She did not realize she was offending him. She "assumed" that all men talked crudely, joked and shared sexual innuendoes. Jane was actually surprised and embarrassed as well as very worried by a sexual harassment complaint being filed against her. She very much wanted to go to mediation and clear her name.
