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Have you experienced workplace sexual harassment in Missouri?
As an employee in the workplace, you are protected by law from facing sexual harassment in any form. Being sexually harassed at work can make your work environment very hostile, leading to stress, anxiety, and a feeling of isolation. Fortunately, you can take action against your harasser without fear of retaliation or losing your job. With a legal team on your side, you can hold your harasser accountable under the law while protecting your own rights in the process.
If you are ready to stand up for your rights, the first step is to contact an experienced team of employment law attorneys. Our lawyers at Riggan Law Firm, LLC, have years of experience helping clients like you who need assistance bringing their harasser to justice. Even if you haven’t decided to take legal action yet or you’re still weighing your options, our team would be happy to discuss your case with you. For more information and to learn about our services, call our office today at 314-528-9661.
What Is the Legal Definition of Sexual Harassment?
Sexual harassment is defined in both the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Missouri Human Rights Act. Both of these acts define sexual harassment as unwelcome sexual advances, verbal or physical sexual conduct, requests for sexual favors, and any sexual advances that create a hostile work environment.
Quid pro quo harassment is another form of sexual harassment in the workplace. Quid pro quo harassment describes when a supervisor, manager, or other higher-up demands sexual favors from an employee. They may threaten the employee victim by preventing them from obtaining the position, benefits, or promotion they want or deserve. If a harasser intimidates or offends the employee, disturbs them with sexually related behavior, or prevents them from doing their job, that is called work environment harassment.
Gender-based harassment is also illegal under the law. Gender-based harassment in the workplace involves using slurs, negative stereotypes, and epithets instead of explicit sexual behavior. These actions create a hostile work environment for the victim.
Sexual harassment victims can be any gender and can even be the same gender as their harasser. Any sexual jokes, sexual advances, sexual innuendos, inappropriate touching, comments about clothes or body parts, and posting of sexually suggestive material in the workplace can count as sexual harassment. Witnesses of the harassment, even if they are not the intended victim, can be affected by these behaviors. If you have experienced sexual harassment in the workplace or have witnessed it, contact our team of sexual harassment lawyers today for more information.
Is Retaliation a Form of Sexual Harassment?
Retaliation is defined as taking action against an employee to punish them for coming forward about or reporting sexual harassment. Retaliation can include wrongful termination, barring employees from projects or promotions, reducing their hours, or verbal or physical harassment. Retaliation is illegal under the law, and employers cannot retaliate against employees for reporting sexual harassment or working with a sexual harassment lawyer. If you have received requests for sexual favors, unwanted sexual advances, or other types of sexual harassment, our team of sexual harassment attorneys can protect you from retaliation.
No matter where you work, sexual harassment at work is illegal, and the law is on your side. Our team can help you pursue a sexual harassment claim to prevent sexual harassment from continuing in the workplace. Contact an experienced employment attorney on our team to learn more about how we can help.
What Steps Should You Take if You Are Facing Sexual Harassment?
If you are a victim of sexual harassment, there are a few steps you can take to prevent further harassment and start taking action against your harasser. If you have concerns about any of these steps or feel unsafe doing them, reach out to our team for more information.
Below are some steps you can take to fight sexual harassment:
- Point out your harasser’s inappropriate behavior. In some cases, harassers may not realize that they are being inappropriate. Some individuals believe that jokes or innuendos are acceptable in the workplace, not realizing that they create a hostile work environment. If you feel safe doing so, talk to your harasser, either on your own or with witnesses. Be sure to note the time and date of your conversation to keep as evidence for your potential sexual harassment case.
- Follow your employer’s sexual harassment policy. In your employee handbook, your company should have a written sexual harassment policy that you can follow. Typically, you can report sexual harassment to your Human Resources department as a first step. Check out the detailed procedure and follow those steps to create a record of the harassment you are facing.
- Contact our team of experienced sexual harassment lawyers. If your employer doesn’t take sexual harassment seriously or they do not take steps to protect you in the workplace, our team can assist you. We will work with you to gather evidence of the harassment and provide personalized legal advice for your unique situation.
How Can a Sexual Harassment Lawyer Help You?
Every employee deserves to feel safe and respected at work. If you are dealing with requests for sexual favors, unwanted sexual advances, crude sexual jokes, or other forms of sexual harassment in the workplace, you have the legal right to protect yourself and bring the alleged harasser to justice. With help from our team at Riggan Law Firm, LLC, you can pursue legal action while preventing retaliation in the workplace. No matter what you have been dealing with at work, we are confident that we can assist you. Give us a call today at 314-528-9661 to speak with a compassionate and experienced member of our team.