Sexual Harassment & Abuse

Sexual harassment is illegal and should never be tolerated.

Sexual harassment can happen to anyone. It can occur in a variety of ways that are traumatic and may create significant problems in the workplace. If you have been sexually harassed, your employer may be legally responsible. You don’t have to suffer in silence. If you feel you have been the victim of sexual harassment you may need legal representation.

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) defines sexual harassment as, "unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature such that submission to or rejection of this conduct explicitly or implicitly affects an individual’s employment, unreasonably interferes with an individual’s work performance, or creates an intimidating, hostile, or offensive work environment.”

Below are some examples of sexual harassment:

  • Improper touching, without your permission, by a supervisor or a co-worker.
  • Unwanted sexual advances, comments or jokes from a supervisor or co-worker, creating a hostile work environment.
  • Being asked to do anything of a sexual nature that you’re uncomfortable with in exchange for a pay increase, promotion or continued employment.

You’re not alone if you have been in an uncomfortable situation at work. Nearly one in four women report being sexually harassed, with the number of complaints from men steadily increasing according to surveys conducted by ABC News and The Huffington Post. Yet sadly, many who have been sexually harassed do not contact a sexual harassment lawyer out of fear of retaliation or that no one will take them seriously. It is important to hold employers accountable when sexual harassment occurs. Employers have an obligation to provide a safe and fair workplace. If sexual harassment is happening to you, now is the time to take action.

How Do I Know if it’s Sexual Harassment?

According to EEOC, sexual harassment can include any of the following:

  • The harasser's actions must be unwelcome
  • A harasser may be the victim's supervisor, an agent of the employer, a supervisor in another area or department, a co-worker, or a non-employee
  • The victim as well as the harasser may be a woman or a man; the victim does not have to be of the opposite sex
  • The victim can be the person harassed or anyone affected by the offensive conduct

What To Do

Even if you have informed the harasser directly that the behavior is unwelcome and must stop, you should use any employer complaint or grievance process available. If you can, keep a record of the date and times when you believe sexual harassment occurred, along with the names of the individuals involved and any witnesses. Also, keep any letters, emails or voicemails that could serve as evidence of the incident.

It is illegal for an employer to retaliate against an employee who opposes employment practices that discriminate based on sex. It is also against the law to retaliate against someone who files a discrimination charge, testifies, or participates in an investigation.

File a Sexual Harassment Lawsuit Today

At Sokolove Law, we know that talking about sexual harassment can be a difficult, even painful, topic to discuss. We understand that this is a sensitive matter and have case managers standing by to speak with you confidentially.

If you have been the victim of sexual harassment, fill out our form or call now for a free no obligation consultation. A member of our legal team will contact you to discuss your options. Time is of the essence. The law may limit the time you have to file a claim; therefore it is in your best interest to take the first step today.

 

Author:
Sokolove Law Team

Contributing Authors

The Sokolove Law Content Team is made up of writers, editors, and journalists. We work with case managers and attorneys to keep site information up to date and accurate. Our site has a wealth of resources available for victims of wrongdoing and their families.

Last modified: September 10, 2020