Tampa employment law attorneys help protect the rights of victims of sexual harassment in the workplace
The US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) defines sexual harassment as “Unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature …when this conduct explicitly or implicitly affects an individual’s employment, unreasonably interferes with an individual’s work performance, or creates an intimidating, hostile, or offensive work environment.” If you feel that this definition applies to behavior you have experienced in the workplace, contact an employment attorney in Oldsmar at Westchase Law for a consultation.
Except for very extreme cases of sexual harassment, there are steps that should be taken to be successful in filing and winning a sexual harassment case. First, if possible, you should let the person responsible for the unwanted behavior know that it is unacceptable and inappropriate. If the behavior stops, then there is no legal claim for harassment. If you cannot for some reason confront the person or if the behavior continues, you should follow your company’s procedures for filing complaints. This can be done without the assistance of an attorney, however, an employment attorney in Oldsmar might be of assistance to help you navigate through the process.
If you do not have success with your employer’s complaint process, you can then file a complaint with the EEOC. For this process, an employment attorney in Oldsmar would be highly recommended. The EEOC process has requirements and deadlines that must be complied with. Parties may be involved in mediation to settle their case and ultimately your case will be considered and decided by the Commission.
No one should be subject to sexual harassment in the workplace. If you feel it is happening to you and does not stop when you confront the perpetrator, an employment attorney in Oldsmar at Westchase Law will listen to your experiences and assist you in pursuing a sexual harassment claim.