Sexual Harassment Cases
As sexual harassment cases increase in number, more and more people are treading carefully in the workplace — as well they should. Even jokes and offhand comments can create a hostile work environment for specific individuals. Fortunately, more and more companies realize this every day.
Even so, sexual harassment still takes place all the time. If you’ve ever been subjected to verbal or physical harassment because of your sex or gender identity, you may have a sexual harassment claim.
The term “sexual harassment” seems to imply that all claims of this nature relate to sexual advanced or acts. While requests for physical contact of a sexual nature and unwanted sexual advances are both forms of sexual harassment, this type of claim extends well beyond them.
Sexual harassment also includes harassment because of a person’s sex or gender identity. For example, if recurring comments in the workplace have created a misogynistic environment, the women there are being harassed. Similarly, if someone is continually teased or put down because of their gender identity, they are also a victim of harassment.
Although we mentioned a power hierarchy earlier, your harasser doesn’t have to be your work superior, either. Many sexual harassers only perceive power over the person they harass, whether because they’ve been at the company longer, are misogynistic, or have another reason.
No person — whether they’re the company’s founder or an intern — has the right to sexually harass you. In fact, if they do, you have the right to hold them accountable. That’s where we come in. If you feel your workplace is hostile or offensive to you because of your sex or gender identity, please don’t hesitate to contact our team.
Sexual Discrimination Cases
Sexual harassment is unacceptable. What’s worse, it often doesn’t stop there. In many cases, the sexual or gender bias develops into sexual discrimination, or the limiting of someone’s career advancement because of their sex or gender identity.
If you or someone with whom you work has been passed over for a promotion, demoted, or subjected to less favorable work conditions because of sex or gender, you have a sexual discrimination case.
Workplace sexual discrimination also extends to pregnant women. Your pregnancy should not keep you from advancing your career. Motherhood does not mean your quality of work will lessen, nor does it mean you’ll be less committed to or focused on your work. If you’ve interviewed for a position but didn’t get it because you were pregnant, or you have had your employment status changed, you have grounds for a discrimination case.
