What Can I Do If I’m Sexually Harassed at Work?

If you’ve been sexually harassed at work, you might wonder if there is anything you can do to protect yourself and your coworkers. Sexual harassment is about power, after all, and you may feel powerless against the person or people who harassed you. You might be worried that you’ll lose your job, for example, or that your harasser will portray you as the offender.

Fortunately, you can take action to stop the harassment and make your workplace a more comfortable and productive environment, and our California employment law firm can help.

Employment Lawyer Discusses What Should You Do If You Are Sexually Harassed at Work

Assess What Happened To You

Sexual harassment can take on a wide variety of shapes and forms. Sometimes it involves unwanted touching, for example, or inappropriate jokes or comments. Sexual harassment may also include the promise of a promotion or pay raise in exchange for sexual favors.

You might be surprised to learn that sexual harassment doesn’t have to be sexual in nature. The harassment may involve teasing, taunting, or making intimidating or offensive remarks about how some people “are” or how they should act. Harassment may involve bullying a group of people because of their sexual orientation, gender identity, or race or ethnicity.

Identify Who Harassed You

The harassment may come from a coworker, supervisor, client, or customer.

Report It

As an employment law firm, we understand that you might be afraid or embarrassed to come forward, but reporting sexual harassment in the workplace is critical to creating a safe workplace for both yourself and your coworkers. 

Failing to report it may even be used against you, as your employer might argue that using internal policies may have prevented some of the harm you experienced.

Other Reasons to report it include:

• A report serves as documentation that the harassment occurred, as sexual harassment can sometimes be hard to detect
• Serving as documentation that your employer knew about the sexual harassment
• Showing that the sexual harassment was unwelcome
• Protecting your credibility and professional reputation

Remember – it is illegal for your employer to allow harassment to occur, or to fail to take action once they know it is happening.

Don’t Fear Punishment For Speaking Up

It is illegal to punish or retaliate against someone for reporting sexual harassment, speaking out against it, or participating in an investigation or legal action relating to the harassment. Your employer cannot fire or demote you.

Consult With An Experienced California Employment Law Firm

Several federal and state laws protect you from sexual harassment in your workplace. Sexual harassment is illegal according to both state and federal law, but it takes a trained employment lawyer to navigate the complex regulations.

Have You Been Sexually Harassed at Work? Contact D.Law – Your California Employment Law Firm

If you have been sexually harassed at work, contact D.Law right away. Our employment lawyer has extended experience in sexual harassment cases and can help you explore your legal options. Contact D.Law by calling (818) 275-5799.