We all thrive to live in a world where we feel safe and protected all the time. But unfortunately, that is not the reality and that is why our society has seen the #MeeToo movement that felt like the need of the hour. This movement focused on the sexual harassment that has grown over the years in America that has created difficulties for the women in the workplace. And that is why you can reach out to the sexual harassment attorneys Los Angeles if you have felt even the slightest of discomfort at your workplace.
When someone makes sexual advances or comes to you with sexual favors or even physical or verbal sexual conduct is a form of sexual harassment and in such situations, you must know your rights and what steps to take ahead. The Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title VII, protects employees and job applicants from discrimination at the workplace on the basis of their race, religion, nationality, and gender.
And it is not that just the women get impacted with the sexual harassment moves, but this kind of illegal sexual harassment can take place with men and women and between the same gender, between boss and employee, and many more.
What all things comprise of sexual harassment?
• Requesting sexual favors form the other party
• Making unwanted and inappropriate comments on someone’s appearances
• Saying unwanted things about someone or teasing the other gender
• Passing on the offensive or vulgar jokes about someone at the workplace
• Sending messages, texts, or emails of vulgar content and pictures
So, if you have been a victim of any of the above scenarios, here’s what you need to know about your rights and what steps you must take.
Keep record
If you experience any of the discomforts, then the first thing you should do about it is to write down everything. If someone is passing on sexual comments to you, make sure that you note it down the whole incident along with the date and time and what that other person said about you. This will act as a kind of proof if you decide to take further steps.
Report the incident to the HR
Every company generally has a sexual harassment policy and you must go through it when you join your job. So, when an incident happens, you exactly know how to report that incident. If your company does not have a sexual harassment policy, then it is always better to report that incident to some trusted senior who would listen to you patiently and will take any wrong actions against you. Make sure that you are documenting everything while you are reporting it internally.
Contact Sexual Harassment Attorneys Los Angeles
It is your basic right to hire a lawyer when it comes to sexual harassment incidents as they can give you the best advice and consultation on how to go about it. An experienced sexual harassment attorney would help you out with your particularity of the case and analyze every situation from a legal point of view. Since every case is different, the attorney would suggest you whether you are entitled to compensation or whether to press charges with the Department of Fair Employment and Housing or the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. There are many intricacies involved that only an attorney would help you out with.
Right to work in a safe environment
It is the law that your employer must create a safe environment for the employees where they can work without facing any discrimination or harassment or discomfort and only focus on giving their best professionally. And that is your right as well to demand a safe environment that is not hostile.
In the end, you must know what your rights are because sexual harassment is the kind of activity that must be taken seriously and, in any case, cannot be ignored. Firstly, record everything, talk to HR, and try to file a complaint internally. If you feel that the matter is going out of your hands, then without further ado, call up a sexual harassment attorney and put up your case in front of him and be patient.