Sexual Harassment at Work: Best Course of Action

Sexual harassment is a social evil prevalent in the society today. It can make one feel unsafe, under confident and take away the peace of mind. And when it’s at workplace, it can affect one’s performance in office. It makes workers less productive, increases absenteeism, and can even hurt the health and well-being of workers.

By proper awareness and course of action, we can put a stop to it.

But first of all, what is sexual harassment?

Sexual harassment can be defined as any unwelcome conduct of sexual nature, or requests for sexual favors, which make a person, feel humiliated, offended or intimidated.

Sexual harassment can take various forms, which involves,

·         Staring, leering

·         Suggestive comments, jokes that are unwelcome

·         Unwanted touching, kissing or hugging

·         Sexually explicit pictures, screen savers, posters at workplace

·         Sexually explicit SMS or e-mails

·         Sexual favors or unwanted invitations to go out on date

·         Deliberate brushing against someone

·         Insults, taunts of sexual nature

·         Inappropriate advances or messages on social networking sites

·         Indecent exposure

·         Stalking

·         Obscene communication

·         Sexual assault

Sexual harassment is not sexual interaction, flirtation, attraction or friendship which is mutual or reciprocated.

While both men and women can experience sexual harassment at work, most commonly is experienced by women.

If you or anyone you know are undergoing sexual harassment at workplace, the first step for you is to speak up. In many cases, the responsible party may not realize that they are offending someone. It is your duty and right to let the offending party know that you find their conduct undesirable and offensive. This will, in most of the cases, resolve the problem.

If, however, the issue is not resolved, you must follow your company’s procedure in handling such cases immediately. Every organization has a strict compliance policy for sexual harassment and take it seriously. If your company doesn’t have a procedure set-up, then you may talk to your immediate supervisor. Do remember to keep a record of any harassment records, your complaints, incidents related to the case – including dates, time, people involved and what was said.

If you are unable to solve the case within the organization, you may seek legal help to bring in a civil lawsuit for any harassment you faced. If you are able to prove your point and the suit is successful, your remedies may include:

·         Back pay of you lost money or missed out on appraisal

·         Reinstatement, if you lost your job

·         Damages for emotional distress

·         A mandate for your employer to initiate sexual harassment prevention policies

·         Your attorney’s fees and court costs

Colvin Law firm, your sexual harassment attorney in Washington, are one of the most experienced lawyers to assist and help you through this difficult and confusing process. We not only help you take the best course of action, but also help you best navigate the system and report the harassment appropriately. Colvin Law sexual harassment lawyers in Washington offer extensive knowledge and experience, and have a sexual track record representing victims of harassment.