Sexual Orientation Discrimination
With the rise of the #MeToo movement and legislation like the Adult Survivors Act, sexual harassment and assault survivors feel less hesitant to share their experiences. o With the rise of the #MeToo movement and legislation like the Adult Survivors Act, sexual harassment and assault survivors feel less hesitant to share their experiences.
If you have survived sexual harassment or assault in your workplace, or if you were fired due to retaliation following sexual harassment or assault, you could be entitled to compensation.
We understand it can be challenging to come forward after facing sexual harassment or assault, which is why you need someone in your corner who will relentlessly advocate for you.
Sexual harassment in the workplace is a form of discrimination that results when a person or group of people behaves inappropriately in a sexual manner. This is done by making sexual remarks, crude jokes, or unwanted sexual advances to another person. The situation can become even more troubling when an employer or a person in a position of power initiates sexual harassment.
Sexual harassment includes but is not limited to unwelcome sexual advances and requests for sexual favors. Sexual harassment may be verbal, physical, or both. Although the law generally does not prohibit horseplay or mild flirtation, it cannot be of a sexually offensive nature. If it is, it can be the basis of a good-faith complaint to an employer that is legally protected from retaliation.
There are primarily two forms of sexual harassment: (i) quid pro quo (“this for that” in Latin); and (ii) hostile work environment. The “quid pro quo” type of harassment usually involves a person in power propositioning an employee. They may be asking or implying that they would like “this for that,” meaning sexual favors for some form of advancement, be it salary increases, promotions, or other benefits. Quid pro quo doesn’t always mean a person in power is looking to provide perks for sexual favors. They may also threaten to fire an employee if they do not submit to their demands.
The “hostile work environment” type of harassment is created by a person or group of people by their poor conduct towards another person or group of people in the workplace. This form of harassment can have a negative impact on a person’s well-being, in addition to their ability to perform the duties of their job. This may include crude jokes, rude comments, asking someone out on a date repeatedly, or groping a person.
Common signs of sexual harassment in the workplace include: questions inquiring about your sexual experiences, being shown inappropriate videos or photos (especially those that include sexual content), receiving inappropriate comments about your appearance, and hearing another’s own sexual experiences unprompted and without your or another’s consent.
