According to the U.S. Equal Opportunity Employment Commission (EEOC), sexual harassment in the workplace is defined as any unwelcome sexual advances or conduct that unreasonably interferes with a person’s ability to perform their job. This includes behavior that can be considered intimidating, hostile, or offensive. Sexual harassment is also considered a form of sex discrimination under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
Title VII recognizes two types of sexual harassment:
- Quid Pro Quo
- Hostile Work Environment
When a manager or supervisor uses their authority to demand an employee to tolerate sexual harassment as a condition of getting or keeping their job or job benefits, it is a type of quid pro quo harassment. If this behavior is consistently encountered in the workplace, it can qualify as a hostile work environment under Title VII.
How to Stop Sexual Harassment
If you are being sexually harassed at work, you should first try to put a stop to the behavior by speaking to the perpetrator about how their actions are making you feel uncomfortable and why it needs to stop at once.
If your attempt to resolve the issue does not work, file a formal complaint with human resources or your supervisor. When you make your complaint, be sure to document it and any other instances of sexual harassment that you continue to experience after you reported the issue.
If your employer fails to stop the sexual harassment, you need to file a claim with the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). You should consult with an experienced lawyer before filing your claim to make sure all of your rights and interest are fully protected throughout the process.
Contact Our Legal Professionals Today
At Rod Smith Law PLLC, we understand that going through a sexual harassment case can be a very difficult and traumatizing experience. That is why our skilled attorneys are here to stand by your side and fight for you. We have more than 40 years of experience handling these types of cases, and we will provide you with the compassion you need to get through this. Let us put our skills and resources to work for you today.
Call us at (304) 406-7076 to schedule your free consultation.