Sexual harassment can be a stressful and traumatic experience that no one should have to endure while in the workplace. After all, we spend a great deal of our lives at work, so having to deal with demeaning, disrespectful, and of course, illegal treatment can cause a great deal of strife in one’s life.
Because of this, federal and state law prohibits sexual harassment and discriminatory treatment based on sex. Indeed, many people may know this in the abstract, but recognizing harassment may be easier said than done. Some people may treat jokes of a sexual nature as just good natured humor and believe that people who are offended by them should just lighten up. This brings up the question: am I being sexually harassed?
This post will help to answer that question.
Essentially, sexual harassment can come in many forms, including
– Offensive sexual language
– Verbal actions of a sexual nature
– Unwanted sexual approaches
– Quid pro quo requests of a sexual nature
So, for example, if a supervisor or co-worker offers to help you advance in the company if you have sex with them, or if your continued employment is conditioned upon accepting someone’s advances, these are classic cases of sexual harassment.
Also, if sexual conduct or statements or images are directed at you, you do not desire them and they make you uncomfortable, chances are that you have experienced sexual harassment.
The preceding is not legal advice. If you have questions about what to do about sexual harassment or want to know what legal recourse you have, an experienced employment law attorney can help.