When confronted with harassment at work, it may be difficult to think clearly about how to respond. An employee who has been sexually abused may be extremely stressed and may be confused about having to take a stand for what is right. A Sexual Harassment Attorney Virginia can be a great resource for you to be able to represent your case in such situations.
What Exactly Can Sexual Harassment be?
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) mainly defines sexual harassment in the workplace: as unacceptable sexual development or verbal or physical conduct that includes sexual harassment if such conduct clearly or indirectly affects a person’s employment, and unreasonably disrupts individual work, or creates a terrifying workplace. Hostile or irritating.
Examples of harassment can range from subtle to subtle and may include:
- Sexual harassment / unacceptable physical contact in the sexual environment
- Promoting or hiring for sexual acts (“quid pro quo”)
- Visual harassment by exposing sexually explicit material or images
- The pattern of verbal abuse and derogatory language
- Making sexual suggestions or suggestions, physically or verbally
- Making sexually explicit comments about a person’s appearance or behavior
- Harassment is the use of sexually explicit material
Assistance During Abuse Investigations
Your employer is required to legally investigate any allegations of sexual harassment. Also, your employer may not be able to take action during the investigation that adversely affects your employment. An experienced lawyer can accompany you during the investigation to ensure that the employer is performing as required by law. For information on your rights during a sexual harassment investigation, see Do You Need a Sexual Harassment Inquiry Attorney?
Revenge
Did you know that employers are restricted by law from retaliating against employees who report sexual harassment? Revenge can happen in many ways and is not limited to disciplinary action or revocation (although those actions can certainly be retaliatory). For example, if your supervisors take you out of desirable projects or exclude you from meetings, events, or even entertainment venues after reporting abuse, a lawyer can analyze these actions to see if they are retaliatory.
Discuss the cost of filling
The employment attorney will also outline the legal steps you can take to challenge sexual harassment. This includes charging your employer for discrimination against your regional anti-racism agency or the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). Also, an attorney can talk to you about the pros and cons of doing so and even the pros and cons of using your employer if you are not satisfied with his or her response to your sexual harassment complaint.
