Sexual Harassment at Work
Sexual harassment at work can take many forms. It can include unwanted touching, staring, or other physical acts, sexual advances, comments, "jokes," intimidation, abuse, or requests for sexual favors. Sexual harassment does not have to be explicitly sexual to be illegal. Any offensive remarks, comments, or conduct about a person's sex are considered sexual harassment. The victim and the harasser can be any gender, including the same gender. The harasser can be a supervisor, a coworker, client, or customer.
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Sexual harassment that is so severe or pervasive that it causes a hostile work environment or which results in a tangible employment action, such a being disciplined, suspended, demoted or fired, is illegal. It is important you notify your employer if you are dealing with sexual harassment at work, but you also need to be careful that you are not punished or subjected to retaliation for reporting sexual harassment. So, it is important that you talk to a qualified employment discrimination attorney if you are dealing with workplace sexual harassment.
Sexual harassment can also take the form of quid pro quo (this-for-that) harassment, where certain opportunities or terms are conditioned on the victim's submission to a request of a sexual nature. For example, a supervisor might ask you for a sexual favor or to go on a date with them in exchange for a raise, promotion, or more favorable schedule. Alternatively, a supervisor might threaten you with discipline, a demotion, or termination if you decline their requests. This type of sexual harassment is illegal.
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If you are dealing with any type of sexual harassment at your job, please call us right away. We will evaluate your case, discuss your evidence, and if we are able to help you, we will.