Sexual Harassment Attorney Louisville KY
Sexual harassment is illegal and if you’ve been sexually harassed, you are not the one who should be afraid — Your harasser should be.
No matter your line of work, sexual harassment while on the job is both inexcusable and illegal. You are entitled to work in a safe, healthy, and professional environment. State and federal law protect both male and female employees from unwanted sexual advances made by either management or a co-worker of the same or opposite sex. Sexual harassment in the workplace can take a variety of forms, some more obvious than others. Yet, inappropriate conduct does not have to be extreme to rise to the level of illegal harassment.
What are the Most Common Forms of Sexual Harassment?
- Whistling, catcalls or indecent gestures
- Deliberate bumping or leaning against another person
- Comments about your body or bodily movements
- Demands for dates or sexual acts
- Inappropriate grabbing or touching of your body or clothing
- Sexual phone calls, text messages, voice messages or e-mail messages
- Sending or leaving pornographic materials or sexually explicit pictures
- Repeating dirty jokes or making lewd comments
Under Kentucky and federal law there a two main types of sexual harassment: Quid Pro Quo and Hostile Work Environment.
“Quid pro quo” is a latin phrase that means “something for something.” Quid pro quo sexual harassment happens in the workplace when a superior — like a supervisor, team lead, or manager – requests sexual favors in exchange for a benefit at work — such as requiring sexual favors to grant a promotion. If an employee is fired, demoted, or refused a promotion because she refused a sexual advance or request, quid pro quo sexual harassment has occurred. It is a violation of the law to condition a benefit at work on a sexual favor.
Hostile work environment, usually the more common category of harassment, occurs when a coworker, superior, or even customer subjects an employee to sexually offensive conduct in the workplace.
What Should I Do if I Feel Sexually Harassed?
- Say “NO” clearly. Make it clear that the harassment is unwelcome.
- Make a clear statement to the harasser that the conduct is offensive and unwelcome.
- Start documenting the facts immediately. Include time, dates, situations, comments or gestures, and any other important details. Always keep your own copy. This documentation is very important and can be evidence to support your claim.
- Keep your documentation in a safe file away from work.
- If appropriate, discuss the situation with your labor or union representative.
- Tell your employer about the harassment. Follow the reporting requirements outlined in your employer’s Harassment policies and file a grievance complaint if that process is available to you.
- Decide whether you want to file a complaint with the appropriate county, state, or federal agency and whether you want to speak with an attorney.
Sexual harassment can often lead to retaliation after a person rejects the sexual advances of the sexual harasser, or reports the harassment to his or her employer. Acts of retaliation can include demotions, cuts in pay or benefits, or even termination. However, it’s not just wrong to fire someone for reporting sexual harassment, it is illegal. Speak up – refuse to live in fear.
If you or someone you know is a victim of sexual harassment in the workplace, the attorneys at Abney Law will advocate for your rights while respecting your privacy and dignity. Harassment cases can be complicated and require an attorney with experience handling these types of claims.
If you’ve been sexually harassed, you are not the one who should be afraid — Your harasser should be. We fight for our clients to hold their harassers accountable and have years of experience handling sexual harassment and discrimination claims.
If you have been the victim of sexual harassment, contact the sexual harassment attorneys at Abney Law online or call (502) 498-8585 to schedule a free consultation.