Executive Overview Several high profile sexual harassment cases have been reported in the news media recently. It appears that many organizations are slow to respond to internal complaints of sexual harassment, forcing victims to go outside the organization to seek redress through the court system. These failures to respond to complaints—what we have come to identify as the “deaf ear” syndrome—is surprising in light of the well-publicized costs to human resources, organizational reputation, and the bottom line. This paper investigates some of the factors and dynamics that contribute to organizational inaction. Based on interviews with EEOC attorneys who specialize in sexual harassment litigation, a review of relevant literature, and recent media examples, we identify three themes that are associated with deaf ear syndrome: (1) inadequate organizational policies and procedures, (2) managerial rationalizations, and (3) inertial tendencies. Fortunately, a few responsive organizations provide examples of best practices.