Sexual harassment in the workplace is illegal! Sexual harassment is unlawful under both Federal sexual harassment law (Title VII of the Civil Rights Act) and Florida sexual harassment law (The Florida Civil Rights Act).
Sex harassment usually comes in two forms:
- Hostile Work Environment (verbal sexual remarks, innuendos or touching)
- Quid pro Quo (Requests for Sexual Favors)
- Unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature constitute sexual harassment 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.
Remember:
- The victim may be a woman or a man.
- The harasser may be a man or woman.
- The victim does not have to be of the opposite sex. Same sex sexual harassment is illegal.
- The harasser can be the victim’s supervisor, a supervisor in another area, an owner, a co-worker, or even a non-employee.
- The victim does not have to be the person harassed but could be anyone affected by the offensive conduct.
- Sexual Harassment often goes unreported for fear of retaliation.
- It is illegal to fire or retaliate against an employee who reports sexual harassment.
- Even if a victim has consensual sex with a supervisor or owner they may have a sex harassment claim.
Specific examples of sexually harassing behavior include:
- Unwanted sexual advances or attention.
- Unwanted physical contact, including:
- Touching
- Pinching
- Patting
- Kissing
- Fondling
- Groping
- Grabbing, or
- Assault
- Blocking, interfering, or inhibiting free movement in the workplace.
- Obscene or inappropriate invitations, either written or by e-mail, received at work or at home.
- Repeated face-to-face, telephone or email invitations of a sexual nature after being refused.
- Verbal abuse, including:
- Graphic comments regarding an individual’s body.
- Frequently discussing graphic details of sexual acts and exploits.
- Verbal sexual advances or propositions.
- Inappropriate comments, epithets, slurs and jokes.
- Passing over qualified employees for promotion in favor of an employee who is having a sexual relationship with the boss.
The victims of sexual harassment often are unsure of how to exercise their rights because their harasser is often somebody who is in a position of power. Our sexual harassment law firm and discrimination lawyers can confidentially advise you regarding these sensitive and difficult workplace harassment issues.
If you feel you’ve been a victim of sexual harassment, please call us at 954-617-6017 or use the contact form at right to contact Rob Norell for a free consultation regarding your rights.