I think I have been sexually harassed; what should I do next?

There may be a variety of options available to you. Determining what steps you should take is something you should discuss with an attorney who practices in the field of sexual and other types of workplace harassment. The attorneys of Singer Deutsch LLP are available to discuss with you your rights and options. That said, there are some general steps most employees who believe they have been subjected to sexual harassment should usually take. As these general steps may not apply to all situations, the most practical first step is to contact an experienced attorney.

Say something to the harasser. You should generally let the person who is harassing you know, clearly and unequivocally, that what he or she is doing in the workplace is unwelcome and that you want it to stop. However, if you feel uncomfortable or concerned about doing this - because, for example, the harasser is your boss - you should let someone of authority at your company know about your feelings about the workplace harassment. In many cases, this person may be a senior manager and/or human resources representative.

Report the harassment. Your company may have a sexual harassment policy that contains reporting or notifications procedures regarding complaints or concerns regarding sexual harassment or other forms of employment discrimination. You should carefully read the company’s sexual harassment policy, and follow its instructions regarding the individuals at the company to whom employees should report sexual or other workplace harassment concerns. Even if your company does not have a specific written sexual harassment policy, you should generally notify a senior manager and/or human resources representative about the harassing workplace conduct. In some cases, the company will not be held legally responsible for the sexual harassment if the company is not notified of the sexually harassing conduct. Of course, if you have any questions or concerns about what to do, you should contact an experienced sexual harassment attorney to discuss your rights and options.

Document the harassment. Sexual harassment, particularly hostile work environment harassment, often involves a series of incidents, occurring over a period of time, which may be relevant to a sexual harassment lawsuit, should you decide to file one. At some point, it may be important for you to remember each of these incidents in order to prove a sexual harassment lawsuit. To this end, you should keep a written chronology of all of the incidents that might be relevant to a sexual harassment lawsuit. An experienced sexual harassment attorney can discuss with you the types of incidents and events you should document for this purpose.

Contact an experienced workplace harassment attorney. Sexual harassment law can be very complicated. There are a variety of options, alternatives and possible courses of action that may be available to a victim of sexual harassment. Some may involve filing a harassment lawsuit, and some do not. Only an experienced sexual harassment attorney should be consulted to guide you through the morass of workplace harassment laws, procedures and legal rights that maybe at your disposal.

Frequently Asked Questions

• What is Sexual Harassment?



• Is it possible to have a claim for sexual harassment even though I haven?t been fired and haven?t suffered any other financial injury?



• I feel very uncomfortable working at my company because of sexual harassment; should I quit my job?



• I think I have been sexually harassed; what should I do next?



• What laws protect me in cases of sexual harassment?

If you feel you have been the victim of Sexual Harassment, consult an experienced and knowledgeable attorney immediately.

Contact the firm for more information about Sexual Harassment Law practice.

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