Sexual Harassment

Sexual harassment and discrimination are serious workplace offenses. The law expects employers to be fair and reasonable both when hiring and in the way they conduct everyday business. People of both genders have a right not to be sexually harassed under the law. The definition of sexual harassment is somewhat fluid, so if you feel that you have been a victim, you should consult with a qualified attorney about your case. Discrimination involves failing to hire, promote, or give equal opportunity to an employee because of his or her ethnicity, gender, religious beliefs, age, or sexual orientation. If you feel that you have been a victim of sexual harassment or discrimination, please contact our firm today.

Forms of Sexual Harassment

Sexual harassment includes many forms of offensive behavior and includes gender-based harassment of a person of the same sex as the harasser. The following is a partial list of violations:

• Making or threatening reprisals after a negative response to sexual advances
• Offering employment benefits in exchange for sexual favors
• Physical conduct: touching, assault, impeding or blocking movements
• Unwanted sexual advances
• Verbal abuse of a sexual nature, graphic verbal commentaries about an individual's body, sexually degrading words used to describe an individual, suggestive or obscene letters, notes or invitations
• Verbal conduct: making or using derogatory comments, epithets, slurs, or jokes
• Verbal sexual advances or propositions
• Visual conduct: leering, making sexual gestures, displaying of suggestive objects or pictures, cartoons or posters