What You Should Do If Iou Are Sexually Harassed at Work in Burbank
It’s bad enough that there’s so much stress at work that drains you of your energy. To make things worse, you are a victim of sexual harassment at work. Unfortunately, you are not alone.
Yes, despite the many laws, sexual harassment exists and to people of all genders. The employer is usually considered liable for any sexual harassment by their supervisors. They are also responsible if they knew about a co-worker harassing you but failed to take action.
Whoever sexually harasses you, remember it’s only you who can make it end. And here’s how you can do it.
What Exactly Is Sexual Harassment?
Sexual harassment involves various sex-related behaviors like:
- Sharing provocative photographs and objects or visual sexual abuse
- Making verbal sexual advances
- Demanding for sexual favors
- Repeatedly making unnecessary sexual moves and physical contact
According to California Law, there are two types of sexual harassment:
- Quid pro quo
This sexual harassment is when a manager, employer, or boss makes performing sexual acts a condition for employment. In this case, the employer may fire the employee for rejecting sexual advances.
Sometimes the employer or boss may even base promotion or job on sexual favors. A single quid pro quo incident is enough proof to build a sexual harassment case.
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Hostile work environment harassment
As the title suggests, sexual harassment creates a hostile or abusive work environment. It leads to the employee finding it difficult to perform his or her job duties.
This sexual harassment can include unwanted conduct like:
- Making demeaning slurs
- Unnecessary physical touching
- Sexual advances
- Sharing explicit visual or text messages on Smartphone or computers
In this case, a single incident isn’t enough to build a case. You need to establish a pattern of incidents that prove the work environment is hostile.
What to Do If You Are Sexually Harassed
Consulting a workers’ compensation attorney in Burbank is not always the only solution. There are a few other things you can first try if you are a victim of sexual harassment:
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Maintain a logbook
Document everything that happens to you at work. Be specific with dates and comments or behaviors. Write down everything. It could be your boss’s physical advances or a colleague brushing up against you. Jot everything down, and keep the book at home and anywhere else outside the office.
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Make it evident the actions are unwelcome
Make it clear that you consider the conduct offensive, and it must stop. You could tell the person that:
- Their office conversation topic is inappropriate and makes you uncomfortable
- You want them to stop their behavior
- You aren’t interested in a date
Not all of this down. It will prove helpful to you if you decide to make a complaint. It demonstrates that you had made it clear that the actions were unwelcome.
And you had asked them to stop them.
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Talk to your superiors or employer
If talking doesn’t work, report the case to your superiors. If it’s your superior who’s harassing you, then report the harassment to your human resources department.
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Consult a lawyer
If the harassment continues despite taking all these steps, then it’s time to contact your workers’ compensation attorney in Burbank. They will guide you through the claim process.
How to Handle a Wrongful Dismissal
Sometimes you may be compelled to leave your job because of sexual harassment. Your attorney will be most helpful if this is the case. It’s because you can sue your employer in court for wrongful dismissal. You stand a chance of recovering more in damages than through a human rights complaint.
Just remember that if you plan to file a lawsuit, it can be a complicated process. However, you will have to be ready to reveal some information about yourself, your performance, and much more. If you are prepared to go through all this, your attorney will guide you with the proper steps.