The #MeToo movement has ushered in a new era for the workplace, one where it is becoming increasingly clear that sexual harassment of women at work is not only widespread but also often ignored or actively enabled by company leaders.
To make things worse, there are very few legal protections for employees who are sexually harassed at work.
In most workplaces, the anti-harassment policies will deal primarily with discrimination because of gender, race, age, or other protected classes. But they won’t necessarily address sexual harassment directly.
Sexual harassment at work is rarely specifically mentioned because it’s assumed that no right-minded company would ever allow such behavior to take place. Unfortunately, we now know this assumption was wrong.
Speaking with an employment lawyer can help you understand your rights and take action if you feel you’re being mistreated at work. Read on for information about what sexual harassment is and how a sexual harassment lawyer near me can assist you in dealing with it at work.
What Is Sexual Harassment?
Sexual harassment is any unwelcome sexual advance or conduct on the job that makes you feel uncomfortable. It doesn’t have to be sexual. It can be offensive remarks about your gender, leering or rude comments about your appearance, or even inappropriate invitations or suggestions for after-work activities.
Sexual harassment is illegal when it results in a workplace that is hostile or offensive to one or more employees or results in an adverse employment decision against an employee, such as the decision to hire, promote, or fire an individual or the decision to provide a favorable or unfavorable recommendation that might affect the individual’s future employment prospects.
How a Lawyer Can Help with Sexual Harassment at Work
If you’re being sexually harassed at work and want to take action, a sexual harassment lawyer near me can be of great help.
The lawyer can help you document the behaviour and work with you to plan how best to report it. If you decide to write about the behaviour, the lawyer can help you prepare what you’re going to say and how you will say it.
The lawyer will also handle your legal representation in court or while negotiating with the company to identify potential solutions to the problem, such as changing reporting chains, work schedules, or other accommodations that can help everyone get their work done without sexual harassment.
If you decide not to report the behavior, a lawyer can still help you. The lawyer can help you document the behavior so that you have proof if you ever do decide to report it later. You’ll need to keep track of what’s happening. Save texts, emails, voicemails, and even images. Get the names and contact information of witnesses. Gather data on how the situation affects your work by keeping a daily journal.
In Conclusion
Unfortunately, as more and more people come forward about their own experiences with sexual harassment in the workplace, it’s clear that this is a problem many faces every day. Almost half of all women in the U.S. will experience some form of sexual harassment in the workplace at some point during their careers.
If you are being sexually harassed at work or know someone who is being harassed, a lawyer can help you figure out what to do next. Just make sure you hire someone with the right experience and expertise for the job.