Employees have basic workplace right to work in a safe place without fear of danger, violence, discrimination, or harassment. We all hope no one would have to deal with these issues, but it does still happen.
What Constitutes Sexual Harassment?
Sexual harassment can be an ambiguous and hard to recognize due to its often subtle conduct. The Supreme Court has even made it clear that it depends on the frequency and severity of the conduct as well as whether the victim feels physically threatened, humiliated, or job performance is affected. If you are unsure if sexual harassment has taken place here is a list of how to recognize if there is sexual harassment in the workplace.
- Comments and remarks of sexual nature referring to a person’s physical appearance
- Inappropriate touching in a sexually provocative manner
- Making requests (usually by a supervisor) for sex or dates
- Forwarding pictures that are sexually graphic in nature. These can be personal or online images
- Forwarding literature that is sexual explicit or provocative in nature
What to do
If you have been the subject of sexual harassment in the workplace, there are remedies you can take to regain a sense of safety and peace in your workplace. You can review your company policy (usually in your employee handbook) on sexual harassment and follow your company guidelines regarding procedures. This often includes filing a formal complaint with your employer. If your company is not taking appropriate actions to remedy the situation then you can hire an attorney to bring a complaint against the offender, and possibly your company for not acting appropriately.
If you are charged with sexual harassment and do not feel that you acted inappropriately, our offices also defend complaints. We are experienced in discrimination law in Chicago, and will investigate every case to determine if the law was violated and represent our clients aggressively in court.
Contact our Chicago Sexual Harassment Attorneys
Whatever side of the sexual harassment claim you are on, our attorneys can help. With more than 25 years in discrimination law, Goldman & Ehrlich will get to the bottom of each claim and ensure that our clients are protected. Call us at 312-332-6733 today or contact our Chicago office online.