Sexual Harassment in the Workplace

Sexual Harassment Facts & Figures

Sexual harassment is very common, especially in the workplace. In fact, the National Conference of State Legislatures reported that more than 7,500 sexual harassment claims were filed with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) in 2018, which was a 14% increase from 2017. Luckily, US employment laws prohibit sexual harassment in the workplace and victims can take legal action.

You could experience sexual harassment from co-workers, bosses, customers and clients. If you believe you are a victim, speak with our employment law attorney as soon as possible to learn about your options. You shouldn’t have to focus on how you will be treated at work, but rather, the work itself.

What Is Sexual Harassment?

The EEOC defines sexual harassment as unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical harassment of a sexual nature. The Commission further notes that the law doesn’t prohibit simple teasing, offhand comments or isolated incidents that aren’t too serious. However, harassment is illegal when it is so frequent or serious that it creates a hostile or offensive work environment or when it results in an adverse employment decision, such as the victim being fired or demoted.

Examples of sexual harassment in the workplace include:

• Sharing sexually inappropriate content such as emails, videos, texts or pictures
• Inappropriate and/or unwelcomed touching
• Complimenting an employee/employer’s appearance frequently
• Making jokes of a sexual nature
• Provoking conversations about an employee/employer’s sex life

The list goes on. There are countless ways sexual harassment can occur in the workplace against employees or employers. As such, a good rule of thumb is if something makes you uncomfortable and it is of a suggestive or sexual nature, you should file a sexual harassment claim.

Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964

Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 is a federal law that prohibits employment discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex and national origin. Further, Colorado’s Anti-Discrimination laws prohibit discrimination based on sex, disability, race, creed, color, sexual orientation, marital status, national origin, or ancestry.

Since sexual harassment is a form of sex discrimination, we can argue that the perpetrator not only violated your workplace regulations (if applicable) but also state and federal laws.

What to Do If You Are a Victim of Sexual Harassment

Sexual harassment is never acceptable, regardless of where it occurs. When it occurs in the workplace, however, employment laws can safeguard you from experiencing further harassment.

Do not speak to your HR department or supervisor without consulting us first.

For the best chance of overcoming your issue, hire our employment law attorney to help protect your rights and provide the legal counsel needed to increase your likelihood of achieving a favorable outcome. We can help you file a sexual harassment claim with the proper entities and advise you on the appropriate steps to take to best confront your situation. The last thing you need is to experience problems addressing a bigger issue at hand: That’s why you can trust us to help you every step of the way.

Schedule your free consultation with our employment lawyers online or by calling (303) 732-5048!