Sexual Harassment:
Sexual harassment is a form of sex discrimination that violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and other Federal and State Laws. Sexual harassment is illegal under Federal, and State Laws and is prohibited. Sexual harassment frequently occurs in the workplace, in schools, and other forums and the victims are very often unaware of their rights in these situations.
Sexual harassment is humiliating, degrading, and offensive to its victim and can, and often does, cause emotional and physical harm.
The victim of sexual harassment does not have to tolerate such conduct and has the right in certain cases to take legal action against an employer and other responsible parties, and is entitled to compensation.
What Is Sexual Harassment?
Sexual harassment is defined as unwelcome, sexual advances or sexual conduct. It is inappropriate sexually based behavior that makes the workplace, school, or other forum a hostile, intimidating, and very uncomfortable environment.
Such conduct could include unwelcome requests for sexual favors, vulgar language, crude remarks, verbal abuse, or physical contact of a sexual nature.
There are several Federal, State, and Local laws that regulate and provide guidelines for the appropriate conduct of workers and their co-employees and superiors. Any time these rules ar violated in the workplace, leaving unsuspecting victims unaware of their rights to fight back, The Bongiorno Law Firm stands as a staunch advocate of the rights of these victims.
If you feel you have been the victim of sexual harassment, contact The Bongiorno Law Firm immediately.
There are two categories of sexual harassment that are relevant in determining whether or not a person has been a victim of sexual harassment.
The two classes are:
1) Quid Pro Quo Sexual Harassment; and
2) Hostile Work Environment
Quid Pro Quo Sexual Harassment occurs when a person in authority, i.e. manager, supervisor, foreman, co-worker, demands a sexual act or sexual favor of a worker as a condition of getting a favorable position or a condition for permitting the employee to keep a job or job benefit which the employee currently enjoys. The employee may be threatened with termination or lack of advancement or promotion or demotion if the sexual request is not fulfilled. This is an example of Quid Pro Quo Sexual harassment in the workplace, which violates Title VII and State Laws and is prohibited and should not be tolerated. The victim has rights, and under certain circumstances, may pursue legal action and recover a monetary award.
Hostile Work Environment is the second category of sexual harassment. The hostile work environment is usually created when a co-worker, supervisor, manager, or another responsible party engages in unwelcome, inappropriate behavior of a sexual nature. Thus causing the workplace atmosphere to be intimidating, offensive, hostile, and very uncomfortable. Some examples include vulgar unwelcomed language; sexually degrading, demoralizing and embarrassing comments; off-color dirty jokes; unwelcome offensive and inappropriate sexual questions; crude sexual remarks; sexual gestures; unconsented to touching of a sexual nature; displays of pornographic or other obscene sexual pictures or depictions; e-mails of a sexual nature or other unwelcome conduct that subjects the victim to ridicule, insults, humiliation or embarrassment and significantly affects the condition of the victim’s employment and creates a hostile work environment.